NHL On Tap: Evgeni Malkin Back For Penguins, Crosby Unlikely Vs. Avalanche
Evgeni Malkin will be back in the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup when they visit the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena at 9: 30 pm ET on Monday after serving a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on March 5.
Evgeni Malkin Returns After Five-Game Suspension
Malkin completed his suspension and is scheduled to play Monday, a development that prompted coach Dan Muse to reshuffle forward lines and reunite Malkin with winger Egor Chinakhov and center Tommy Novak. The Penguins went 2-1-2 in Malkin’s absence, including a 1-1-1 start to their five-game road trip, and enter the game with a 33-18-5 record, tied with the New York Islanders for second in the Metropolitan Division.
Penguins Skate: Lineup Changes, Injuries and Call-Ups
Sidney Crosby has not played since sustaining a lower-body injury while playing for Team Canada against Team Czechia in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 18. Crosby has been skating with the team during the trip but is unlikely to play Monday. Blake Lizotte will miss the game with an upper-body injury and was absent from the morning skate.
Other roster movements and practice notes from the Penguins’ skate include a recall of defenseman Jack St. Ivany from a 14-day conditioning assignment, with Alex Alexeyev returned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton club. Justin Brazeau took full line rushes after being out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, Ville Koivunen remains in the lineup on the third line, and another extra forward was held out of the game.
Avalanche Matchup and What’s At Stake
Pittsburgh faces one of the NHL’s top teams in Colorado, which enters the game 44-12-9 and has lost two of its past three outings, trimming its lead over the Dallas Stars to three points. Nathan MacKinnon has been a driving force for the Avalanche, collecting 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) and a plus-14 rating over his last 12 games; he trails Connor McDavid by five points for the NHL scoring lead, with 109 points (44 goals, 65 assists) and a league-best plus-57 in 64 games.
The matchup will test how quickly Pittsburgh can integrate Malkin back into its attack while managing the continued absence of Crosby and the loss of depth from Lizotte’s injury. After Monday’s game in Colorado, the Penguins will complete their five-game road trip with a matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes later in the week.
