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The Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin has been suspended four games for cross checking Nashville’s Mark Borowiecki in the face.
The NHL’s department of player safety announced the suspension Monday night after holding a hearing with Malkin about the play. In a video explaining the suspension, the league called Malkin's cross-check “retaliatory and aggressive.”
On the play, Malkin initially only received a four-minute double-minor penalty for striking Borowiecki in the mouth at the end of the second period on Saturday's game.
“It’s an emotional game out there,” coach Mike Sullivan told reporters after the game. “It’s physical, and sometimes that stuff happens. It was a physical game, especially at the net fronts in those areas where that took place.
“Obviously, we don’t want our best players in the penalty box, but these guys are competitive guys and they push back. We’d prefer they be on the ice. They give us a better chance when they're on the ice, for sure. But one of the things we love about Geno is how competitive he is, and so when you get an emotional game like the game we had today, those things happen.”
He’s eligible to return April 23 versus Detroit.
Malkin missed the first 34 games of the season rehabbing from knee surgery. Since making his season debut Jan. 11, the 35-year-old Russian center has been a point-a-game player with 17 goals and 20 assists in 37 games.
This will be a massive blow to the Pittsburgh Penguins who are looking to hold onto third place in the Metropolitan division ahead of the playoffs.
