We finally got a chance to see Rickard Rakell play on Evgeni Malkin’s wing on Sunday evening, and it might have been the Pittsburgh Penguins’ best overall line in an 11-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Malkin had four points, including a hat trick, while Rakell got on the scoresheet for the first time as a member of the Penguins recording two assists and scoring his first goal in a three-point effort. Even more than the three points, he was constantly around the net with the puck on his stick, creating chances and providing a net-front presence on a couple of goals (including Malkin’s hat trick goal that he very nearly managed to get a stick on).