Evgeni Malkin's injury shocks Penguins fans as he hits IR

In the United States, on January 13, 2025, the Pittsburgh Penguins faced off against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a challenging contest. The Penguins, currently struggling, were without star center Evgeni Malkin, who was placed on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury. This marked Malkin's fourth consecutive game missed. Previously, he had been a late scratch before a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, adding to the concerns over his health. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan mentioned that Malkin's placement on IR was largely procedural, intended to activate forward Philip Tomasino. Despite Malkin's absence, the Penguins continued to battle for points in a competitive season. The game itself was noteworthy, as Nikita Kucherov of the Lightning scored two goals and provided an assist, leading Tampa Bay to a 5-2 victory over Pittsburgh. The Lightning, who managed to secure points in both halves of their back-to-back games, demonstrated resilience following a previous loss to the New Jersey Devils. Kucherov's decisive goal late in the third period was instrumental in securing the win, as he intercepted a puck and converted on a breakaway. His performance brought his season total to 20 goals, showing his critical role in Tampa Bay's attack. Additionally, other players contributed to the Lightning's victory, including Brandon Hagel, who also scored, as well as Anthony Cirelli and Nick Paul, who added empty-net goals. This win exemplified Tampa Bay's potent offense, with four players—including Kucherov—having accumulated over 20 goals early in the season. This accomplishment ties them to a historical record set by the 1995-96 Penguins team. Meanwhile, the Penguins, despite Jake Guentzel's impressive performance and Sidney Crosby's milestone assist, fell to a record of 3-5-3 over their last 11 games, emphasizing the ongoing struggles that persist without Malkin in the lineup. Finally, it was confirmed that Malkin’s injury continues to impact the team’s overall performance, stressing the importance of his return. Coach Sullivan described Malkin as day-to-day and mentioned that the team only has one victory during the current stretch without their star scorer. The loss against Tampa Bay not only puts more pressure on Pittsburgh to find offensive balance but also raises questions about the team’s playoff aspirations as they look to recover from this setback and improve moving forward. The Penguins also concluded a five-game homestand against Seattle, where they will aim to bounce back and hopefully get Malkin back on the ice soon. Sullivan also reported another concern regarding winger Michael Bunting, who was involved in a car accident before the game but fortunately did not sustain any serious injuries.