Pittsburgh Penguins: Evgeni Malkin Leads with Points and PIMs

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin now leads the league in postseason points and penalty minutes.

This probably comes as no surprise to Penguin fans. Evgeni Malkin has showcased his soft hands and short temper for years. In Wednesday’s Game 2 against the Nashville Predators, the Russian superstar dropped the gloves with Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban.

However what followed was…uh…

Well they each got five minutes anyway, even if it was a more a grappling match. That lackluster performance aside, we’ve seen this from Geno before. Hell, we’ve seen him fight in the Stanley Cup Finals before. Geno really bottles up all his frustration for the world stage.

If you’re wondering, that fight was against Henrik Zetterberg in the ’09 Cup Final. (Geno doesn’t mind dropping the gloves, but these two scraps indicate he should probably just leave them on.)

Evgeni Malkin Stat Line

Malkin’s tussle with Subban on Wednesday moved him past the Duck’s Nick Ritchie for a league high 47 PIMs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Players that serve that much time in the box usually have different roles on their team. However, Geno’s skill and tenacity combine in a way that skyrockets him to offensive juggernaut status.

When he’s not barking at the refs in broken English, he’s putting up points. Aside from the penalty minutes, he also currently sits atop the NHL leader board with 26 points ( 9 goals, 17 assists). This marks the second most points he has recorded in an NHL postseason. He put up 36 in 08-09.

 An Unconventional Leader

The fighting major along with a few misconducts in the Ottawa Senators series really emphasizes how aggressive Malkin’s style is. He is often the target of the “star treatment” (being punched, slashed, excessively face washed, etc.),but you rarely see him let anything go. His retaliatory nature can get him into trouble, however it also fuels his fire. How many times have we seen him trying to run the gauntlet after taking a high stick or an extra jab? It serves as a reminder to teams, you can finish your checks, but don’t poke the Penguin. His passion is something that doesn’t go unnoticed on the Penguin bench either.

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Let us not forget that Evgeni Malkin serves as an alternate captain on this team. He is a leader on and off the ice. While his verbal communication might not get the job done, his play does. And if that doesn’t work, sometimes bribery is the key.