Things got heated — and potentially dangerous — on the ice between Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on Thursday.
Late in the first period of the Sabres’ 5-1 win, Malkin was given a match penalty for slashing after he and Dahlin battled for position in front of the net.
Dahlin gave Malkin some hard cross-checks, which then prompted the 20-year NHL veteran to turn around and swing his stick, hitting Dahlin, 25, in the side of the head and the neck.
Malkin, 39, then dropped his glove and tried to fight further, but Dahlin grabbed his neck in pain before anything else happened.
Dahlin was issued two minutes for cross-checking, and Malkin got two minutes for cross-checking, along with a five-minute major penalty for slashing.
Malkin was also issued a game misconduct, resulting in his immediate ejection.
It is still unclear whether Malkin will face further discipline from the NHL.
Across his lengthy career, Malkin has built himself a history of suspensions and NHL discipline, most recently being sidelined for four games during the 2022 season for cross-checking Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki across the face.
In 2019, Malkin was suspended for one game by the NHL for “an intentional stick swing with force for the purpose of retaliation” to Flyers forward Michael Raffl.
He was fined in that same season for high-sticking Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau and slashing Jets defenseman Logan Stanley.
Across 45 games played this season, Malkin has racked up 13 goals and 34 assists, where he now has an increased role for the Penguins as the team’s leading scorer, Sidney Crosby, is recovering from a lower-body injury sustained during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
As of Thursday night, the Penguins currently sat in second in the Metropolitan Division, trailing the Hurricanes by nine points.
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