Evgeni Malkin Ejected After Slash to Rasmus Dahlin, Penguins Give Up Power-Play Goal
Evgeni Malkin was handed a five-minute slashing major and a game misconduct after swinging his stick and striking Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin in the neck during the second period on Thursday. The penalty produced a Sabres power play that resulted in a Josh Norris goal and a 2-1 Buffalo lead early in the period, immediately changing the game’s momentum.
Evgeni Malkin's slash draws major penalty and ejection
On a sequence that began with some shoving in front of the Sabres net, Malkin reacted after being cross-checked by Dahlin and spun to face him before making contact with his stick to Dahlin’s neck. Dahlin braced himself when hit and the players were separated moments later. Officials signaled a five-minute major for slashing and issued Malkin a game misconduct, removing the veteran forward from the contest.
The immediate consequence was a Buffalo power play. Josh Norris converted on that advantage, pushing the Sabres in front 2-1 and altering the scoreboard early in the second period. The penalty and goal came at a critical juncture for Pittsburgh, which currently holds a 31-16-13 record in the standings.
Discipline history and potential review by the NHL Department of Player Safety
Malkin, 39, carries a documented history of on-ice discipline: he has been fined three times and has faced two suspensions over his 20-year career. Those suspensions included a one-game ban in February 2019 for high-sticking against the Philadelphia Flyers and a four-game suspension in April 2022 for cross-checking Mark Borowiecki in the face. Given that record, this incident will likely draw scrutiny from the NHL Department of Player Safety, which has jurisdiction over supplemental discipline.
A third suspension would have measurable consequences for the Penguins’ playoff push: the team is operating without captain Sidney Crosby, who remains out recovering from a leg injury sustained at the Olympics in February, and is relying on veterans such as Malkin to shoulder offensive responsibility. Malkin entered the game with 13 goals and 47 points in 45 contests, ranking among the team’s top scorers while Crosby is absent.
Game ramifications for Pittsburgh and Buffalo
The penalty sequence highlights a direct cause-and-effect arc: physical confrontation in front of the net led to an escalated response from Malkin, which prompted a major penalty and ejection; that penalty gave Buffalo a power-play opportunity and an ensuing Josh Norris goal that changed the scoreline early in the second period. The shift in momentum was immediate and quantifiable—the Sabres took a 2-1 lead following the sequence.
For Pittsburgh, the loss of a veteran forward in the middle of a tightly contested playoff race magnifies the impact beyond a single game. The Penguins’ 31-16-13 mark places them among the leaders in their division, and each roster disruption or suspension could alter their standing. What makes this notable is that the team is already navigating the season without its captain and must weigh both on-ice temperament and available personnel as the schedule progresses.
The incident will now sit with league officials as they determine whether additional discipline is warranted. Meanwhile, the immediate fallout—a five-minute major, a game misconduct and a power-play goal for Buffalo—was decisive for the contest’s second-period swing.
