Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin suspended 4 games for cross check

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin was suspended four games by the NHL on Monday night for cross checking Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki in the mouth Sunday.

After the second period of a 3-2 home win by the Penguins, Malkin and Borowiecki became engaged in a physical confrontation near the Predators net. Just as the second intermission began, Malkin slashed Borowiecki’s stick out of his hands then struck him in the mouth, apparently causing Borowiecki to lose teeth.

On-ice officials assessed a double-minor penalty to Malkin for high sticking, and Borowiecki, who did not return to the game, was given a slashing minor.

In a video issued by the NHL, a narrator for the league’s Department of Player Safety stated:

“After battling throughout their shift on the ice, Borowiecki briefly restrains and engages Malkin. Upon disengaging, Borowiecki swipes at Malkin’s back with his glove. In response, Malkin first delivers a forceful, two-handed slash to Borowiecki, knocking his stick to the ice. Then with Borowiecki still in his immediate proximity, Malkin pulls his stick back again, raises it to head height and strikes Borowiecki directly in the face. This is cross checking.”

“It is important to note that this is not a case where Malkin raises his stick defensively or reflexively to defend himself. We (the NHL) find Malkin’s cross check to be retaliatory and aggressive.

“While we heard Malkin’s assertion that Borowiecki initiated the scrum by restraining and confronting him, neither action merited Malkin’s response. Players are not excused from violating league rules because of the actions of their opponents. There simply is no justification for a player to forcefully and intentionally cross check another player in this manner.”

Per a release from the league, Malkin will forfeit $190,000 in salary for the suspension. He will miss the following games:

April 12: at New York Islanders

April 14: vs. New York Islanders

April 16: at Boston Bruins

April 21: vs. Boston Bruins

The Penguins have eight games remaining in the regular season.

In 37 games this season, Malkin has 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists).

Before this incident, Malkin had experienced relatively little in the way of supplemental discipline over his 16-year career.

Previously, he had been suspended only one other time in addition to incurring three fines.

It came during a 4-1 road win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 11, 2019. In that contest, he received a match penalty for swinging his stick at the head of former Flyers forward Michael Raffl. Malkin was suspended one game for that incident.

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Note: Penguins reserve forwards Anthony Angello and Radim Zohorna were assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.