Following own-goal gaffe, Penguins' Evgeni Malkin draws confidence from late-game score

Evgeni Malkin had not enjoyed being the butt of jokes around the NHL over the last several days as a result of an embarrassing incident in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-2 road loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Monday.

That night, with about 16 minutes left in regulation, a delayed penalty on Arizona was just about to send the Penguins to the power play, looking for the tying goal.

Goaltender Tristan Jarry was pulled as the Penguins tried to set up a brief six-on-five before beginning a traditional power play.

In an attempt to evade the Coyotes’ forecheck, defenseman Kris Letang skated backwards into the Penguins’ zone and dropped a pass toward Malkin, who was unable to handle it.

The puck penetrated past Malkin and went into the Penguins’ net.

Arizona’s Lawson Crouse received credit for the score, which proved to be a highly deflating moment in the loss.

The Penguins score an own goal on a delayed penalty ???? pic.twitter.com/DfOK8e9KWs

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 23, 2024

Naturally, social media users and hockey commentators had a field day in ridiculing Malkin, Letang and the Penguins for the gaffe.

After the Penguins lost in a shootout to Florida on Friday night at PPG Paints Arena, Malkin addressed the play at Arizona, a definite low point within the club’s rough road trip against the Coyotes and Vegas over the past week.

“Everybody showed me this video when I scored on own net,” Malkin said. “I know it’s bad luck. Sometimes, it happens.”

While the Penguins ultimately lost Friday, 3-2, Malkin promptly got back to his career-long knack for scoring goals into the opposition’s net.

With 41.5 seconds remaining in the third period and the Penguins trailing 2-1, Malkin buried a slick backhanded pass from Sidney Crosby past Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky, tying the score.

Evgeni Malkin ties it up with less than a minute left! ???? pic.twitter.com/QiNSM1H9Zy

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 27, 2024

Malkin’s 16th goal of the year did not lead to a win, but it gave his club (21-17-7) a much-needed point as it struggles to stay afloat within the Eastern Conference postseason hunt.

Furthermore, it provided a boost in confidence for Malkin, who has scored just twice since Dec. 31.

“You see my goal on (the) own net (against Arizona),” Malkin said. “It’s a little bit down for my confidence. The next game, I needed a goal for sure. I hope now I feel so much better.

“ … We understand we’re still fighting for (the) playoffs. We fight all night. I try to help (the) team to win every game. Every goal (is) very important for me. After (the) last game, it’s huge for me for sure.”

In a year featuring peaks and valleys for Malkin, who has 16 goals and 23 assists through 45 games, coach Mike Sullivan said he hopes Friday’s clutch goal offers his talented franchise center a spark.

“It will be big for him,” Sullivan said. “He loves to score goals, and when he scores, I think it helps his own confidence. Nobody is harder on himself than (Malkin) himself. He understands that we rely on him to produce offense and when he doesn’t, nobody feels it more than he does.

“It’s never from a lack of effort from (Malkin). He’s a hard-working guy. He’s a real competitive guy. That goal at the end, that’s a huge goal that helps us get a hard-earned point and hopefully, he’ll gain a bit of confidence from that.”