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3 Winners and Losers from Penguins vs. Canadiens

By Justin Otstott

MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 13: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his goal with teammates Sidney Crosby #87 and Valtteri Puustinen #48 during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on December 13, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 13: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his goal with teammates Sidney Crosby #87 and Valtteri Puustinen #48 during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on December 13, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Pittsburgh Penguins
SUNRISE, FL – DECEMBER 8: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins stretches prior to the game against the Florida Panthers at the Amerant Bank Arena on December 8, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

Loser: Where Did Malkin Go?

Before raising any eyebrows, I’ll concede that classifying Malkin as a ‘loser’ tonight might seem like a stretch, especially given his assist.

However, in assessing the Penguins’ performance areas for improvement, Malkin’s showing merits attention. While he’s been outstanding this season, setting a high bar, tonight’s game didn’t quite reflect his usual standard.

Malkin struggled to find his rhythm throughout the game. His efforts, including a lackluster attempt in the shootout, fell short of the impact we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from him.

Comparing this performance with his season’s highlights, the difference is stark. Of course, every player is entitled to an off night, and this seems to be one of those instances for Malkin.

His tripping penalty, already discussed, was particularly ill-timed, regardless of the call’s fairness. It came at a moment when the Penguins were pushing for a winning goal, but instead, it forced them to rely on their penalty kill unit.

While this incident and his overall quieter presence tonight land Malkin in the ‘loser’ category, it’s crucial to emphasize that this label is temporary and situational. Malkin is undeniably a key player for the Penguins; it’s just that tonight, he wasn’t at his best.

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