Evgeni Malkin Leads Penguins to Victory Over Flames
CALGARY – Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak each shone brightly for the Pittsburgh Penguins, contributing a goal and an assist apiece in a decisive 4-1 victory against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday. The Penguins (24-14-11) are demonstrating strong form, having won two consecutive games and boasting a 3-0-2 record in their last five outings.
Egor Chinakhov and Bryan Rust also found the back of the net for Pittsburgh. Jack St. Ivany delivered a stellar performance with two assists, while Stuart Skinner stood strong in goal, making 18 crucial saves.
Skinner Highlights Team Effort
“It’s really hard to win games in the NHL and you need a full team effort for 60 minutes and that’s what these guys are giving every night,” Skinner commented, having secured wins in six of his past seven starts, including a three-game winning streak. He added, “Whenever we get a chance to play Calgary, it’s always a good battle, especially [because] they took a couple points in our building not too long ago (2-1 loss on Jan. 10), so it’s nice to get these two points off them here.”
Flames Struggle to Respond
Yegor Sharangovich scored the lone goal for the Flames (21-24-5), while Dustin Wolf faced 21 shots. Calgary has faced recent challenges, with losses in their past two games (0-1-1) and three of their last five (2-2-1).
Calgary captain Mikael Backlund expressed disappointment with the team’s performance: “It wasn’t good enough. There was a part of the game in the second period where we were playing really well and we were creating a lot of chances. We were getting pucks in deep, but we didn’t do that for a full 60. I didn’t like the effort and we can be a lot better, play with more energy and more pace.”
Key Moments in the Game
- 7:49 – Malkin Opens the Scoring: Evgeni Malkin redirected Ryan Shea’s point shot, putting the Penguins ahead 1-0. Watch the goal here.
- 12:32 – Chinakhov Extends Lead: Malkin’s cross-ice pass to Novak set up Chinakhov for a goal, increasing the Penguins’ lead to 2-0.
- 19:57 – Sharangovich Responds: Sharangovich cut the deficit, but the Flames couldn’t sustain the momentum.
- 50 Seconds into the Third – Rust Makes it 3-1: Rust’s wraparound attempt deflected off Wolf’s blocker, extending the Penguins’ lead.
- 9:19 – Novak Seals the Victory: Novak scored a backhander, pushing the lead to 4-1, assisted by St. Ivany.
Sidney Crosby’s Continued Excellence
Sidney Crosby continues to impress, recording seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last four games. His assist marked his 785th career road point, surpassing Mario Lemieux’s record of 784 for the eighth-most road points in NHL history. Learn more about Crosby’s achievement.
Additional Notes
- Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was sidelined due to a lower-body injury.
- Calgary forward Martin Pospisil made his season debut after recovering from an injury.
- Zach Whitecloud recorded his first point as a Flame after being traded from the Vegas Golden Knights.
- Jonathan Huberdeau was scratched for the Flames due to a lower-body injury.
