A number of Penguins have been criticized for failing to perform thus far in the final at various times, such as Phil Kessel and Sidney Crosby. However, there has not been a Penguin who has failed his team as much as Evgeni Malkin.
Going into the Stanley Cup Final, the biggest factor working in the Penguins’ favor was their depth at center. With Crosby and Malkin as a one-two punch, many pundits claimed that it would be impossible for the Predators to match up with the Penguins. While Crosby has still had a solid series, Evgeni Malkin has been largely absent.