SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Penguins won their seventh game in a row Thursday night, 4-2 over the Panthers at FLA Live Arena, but it didn't come without a rather concerning moment for Evgeni Malkin in the third period.
On the power play, Sidney Crosby fired a shot-pass in Malkin's direction that hit him above his right knee. The puck banked off Malkin and to the back of the net, but he immediately went down in serious pain and had to be helped off the ice.
The goal and the injury:
After the game, Malkin was walking around outside of the Penguins' locker room with his knee wrapped in ice. Although he was walking gingerly, it had to have been considered an encouraging sign that he was getting around under his own power.
Mike Sullivan said the Penguins will see how he's feeling Friday, an off-day for the team, but noted that the "preliminary prognosis is positive." Since the team has the day off on Friday, the next update on Malkin will be provided Saturday when the Penguins practice in Raleigh, N.C., at 1:45 p.m.
"Funny way to score, but a goal is a goal," Sullivan said.
Crosby told me that he wanted to keep that shot-pass much lower and hopefully hit Malkin in the skates, but sometimes it doesn't always shake out how you want it to.
"I've done it a couple times over the years," Crosby said, "but I don't like doing that."
Crosby added that he doesn't think the injury is too serious, a sentiment echoed at another another stall.
"He'll be OK," Kris Letang said with a subtle smirk. "He's tough."