Evgeni Malkin, a cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Penguins, dished out two assists in the decisive playoff clash against the New York Rangers, a 5-3 victory tally that kept the series alive. The game showcased high tempo and a strategic battle between two veteran franchises that understand how to grind out results when it matters most in the postseason.
With this performance, the Russian forward inched closer to a significant milestone, reaching 179 career playoff points. That total places him just one point shy of the legendary Ray Bourque, who sits at 180. In the broader context of NHL history, Malkin sits 15th on the all-time playoff scoring list, a ranking Bourque would hold at 14th if the order were reversed by a single point. This milestone underlines Malkin’s sustained postseason excellence and reinforces his status as one of the most productive playoff performers of his era.
The opening minutes unfolded with Pittsburgh seizing the initiative. At the 11th minute, a determined Jake Guentzel found the back of Igor Shesterkin’s net, giving the Penguins an early lead and signaling their intent to press the issue. The second period saw Chris Letang extend the advantage, a testament to Pittsburgh’s ability to execute on both ends of the ice. Yet, the home team Rangers responded with renewed vigor, and within a narrow window—roughly three minutes—staged a late surge that swung the scoreboard in their favor. During one of those sequences, Artemi Panarin, a dynamic Russian forward donning Rangers colors, contributed with an assist as part of the collective effort that rebalanced the game. Across the playoff run so far, Panarin has accumulated six points for his team, composed of two goals and four assists. The immediate momentum shift was punctuated when Jake Guentzel struck again, briefly restoring parity after Jacob Trouba’s timely strike had squared the ledger.
From that juncture onward, the Rangers steered the narrative, with their players carrying the scoring load. In the closing seconds of the contest, Ryan Lindgren sealed the score at 5-3 in favor of New York, denying Pittsburgh what would have been a dramatic comeback. The outcome tightened the series, pushing it to a 3-2 advantage for Pittsburgh, and setting the stage for a decisive next meeting. The next duel between these two teams was slated for May 14, a date that fans on both sides circled as a potential turning point in a tightly contested series. The momentum shift in this game, alongside Malkin’s continued playoff production, kept the Penguins firmly in the hunt as they navigated the grueling path of the NHL postseason.