Pittsburgh Penguins History: Evgeni Malkin’s Road to 500 Points
By Rob Joncas
With three assists vs. Boston on Mar. 11, 2012, Evgeni Malkin became the 9th player in Pittsburgh Penguins history to reach 500 points.
Since joining the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2006-07 season, Evgeni Malkin has carved out a hall-of-fame career, winning three Stanley Cups.
With three assists vs. Boston on Mar. 11, 2012, Evgeni Malkin became the 9th player in Pittsburgh Penguins history to reach 500 points. It took Malkin 413 games at 1.22 points-per-game to reach that mark.
With that in mind, here’s a quick look back at some of Malkin’s biggest games up to that point.
A Little Wait
Due to an injury suffered in training camp, Malkin’s NHL debut was delayed until the fourth game of the Penguins season on Oct. 18, 2006.
Malkin wasted little time in announcing himself to the world, as he scored his first career goal against Martin Brodeur in the first period.
Although Pittsburgh dropped the game 2-1, Malkin’s goal would be the start of a modern record-setting run.
Record Setter
With goals in six consecutive games, Malkin became the first player in nearly 95 years to achieve the feat. It was Joe Malone who set the mark in 1917-18 during the NHL’s inaugural season.
Young Gun
Oct. 28, 2006
Malkin’s first three-point game occurred, in an 8-2 victory Pittsburgh victory vs. Philidelphia Flyers.
Malkin set up Sidney Crosby‘s fifth goal of the season and gained the secondary assist on Mark Recchi‘s first tally of the season.
Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney earned the assists on Malkin’s fifth goal of the season, scored on the power-play midway through the second period.
Jan. 20, 2007
Malkin collected his first five-point game in the 8-2 beatdown vs. Toronto early in 2007.
Malkin must have been still feeling the Christmas spirit, as all five of the points, he earned were assists.
Malkin set up Crosby, Michelle Ouellet, Ryan Malone, Recchi, and Jordan Staal and somehow found the time to take two penalties as well.
Including this game, Malkin racked up 6 games with five points on the road to 500 points.
*Breakdown by calendar year
- One in 2007
- One in 2008
- One in 2009
- One in 2010
- One in 2011
- Two in 2012
Malkin had another five-point game on Mar. 20, 2012, vs. Winnipeg.
With 33 goals and 85 points in 78 games, Malkin was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie.
Turning Tricks
Jan. 3, 2008
Malkin chose the game early in the new year to record his first career hat-trick vs. Toronto.
Malkin scored his first goal midway through the second period and added two more in the third. Malkin’s third goal was a power-play marker assisted by Gonchar and Whitney. Pittsburgh took the game by a score of 6-2.
Including this game, Malkin scored 9 hat-tricks on the road to 500 points.
*Breakdown by calendar year
- Three in 2008
- One in 2009
- Two in 2010
- One in 2011
- Two in 2012
With Sidney Crosby nursing an ankle injury, Penguins fans bore witness to the birth of “Malkamania” in his absence.
Malkin went on a tear, scoring 44 points in 28 games and finished the season second in scoring with 106 points.
What are some fo your favorite Malkin memories? Drop them below.