The NHL has come down hard on Evgeni Malkin.
Malkin, the Penguins’ star forward, was suspended by the NHL for four games for a cross check to the face of Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki Sunday night.
Malkin was assessed a double minor penalty for high sticking, but was not thrown out of the game.
Malkin and Borowiecki became tied up as the second period came to close Sunday. Malkin violently slashed Borowiecki’s stick out of his hands, then cross checked the Nashville bluleliner in the face. Borowiecki, who was bloodied from the hit, was assessed a slashing penalty during the scuffle.
“We find Malkin’s cross check to be retaliatory and aggressive,” said a narrator in the explanation video by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
The video went on to say that Malkin attempted to defend himself in Monday’s hearing by claiming that Borowiecki initiated the confrontation by restraining him and striking him in the back of the head.
“Neither action merited Malkin’s response,” the explanation continued. “Players are not excused from violating League rules because of the actions of their opponents. There is simply no justification for a player to forcefully and intentionally cross check another player in this manner.”
A loss of Malkin comes at a tough time for the Penguins. Pittsburgh just broke a four-game losing streak with their 3-2 overtime win over Nashville, but has still lost seven of its last ten games and is battling for playoff positioning in the Metropolitan Division.
Malkin has 17 goals and 37 points this season in just 37 games since returning from offseason knee surgery.
The Penguins are next in action Tuesday night against the Islanders. They will also host New York Thursday, visit Boston and then host the Bruins Saturday and next Thursday, respectively.
Malkin will miss all four of those games.