NEW YORK (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins might have been the NHL's hottest team at the end of the regular season, playing the last month with Evgeni Malkin out of the lineup with an arm injury.
Well he's back for the playoffs, and flashing his old brilliance.
Malkin scored two goals and set up two others and the Penguins pushed the New York Rangers to the brink of playoff elimination with a 5-0 victory Thursday night.
"I think he took another big step tonight," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "I thought his timing was better. He's getting stronger.