Malkin: 'I need to play better every game'

TEMPE, Ariz -- Evgeni Malkin isn't pleased with his play as of late.

Malkin has a goal and five assists in his last nine games. Though he has 15 goals and 22 assists in 43 games this season, he's been streaky, and has been held off the scoresheet entirely for 17 of those 43 games. Just three of those 15 goals have come on the power play, with the last one coming 10 games ago on Dec. 30.

Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights was a down game for Malkin. He had an assist -- the secondary helper on Ryan Graves' opening goal -- but was on the ice for both the tying and game-winning goal from the Golden Knights.

The tying goal came when Chandler Stephenson blew past Malkin and set up Pavel Dorofeyev for this goal from the slot:

Malkin took a slashing penalty 39 seconds after that tying goal. Though the Penguins killed that penalty, the Golden Knights had momentum from the power play and Brendan Brisson scored the game-winner just nine seconds after Malkin was freed from the box.

"Vegas played unbelievable in the third period," Malkin said after the Penguins' practice the following day in Tempe, Ariz. "They got a first goal and they were feeling it. It's a couple mistakes in the neutral zone, and we need to play better around the net. We need to play hard."

Malkin acknowledged that he too needs to "play hard" more regularly, saying that his play has been "up and down" over the last few weeks.

"One game is good, like when I played in Philly (one goal, one assist)," Malkin said. "Yesterday was not good. I mean, I need to play better every game. I want to stay the same level every game. Not one game good, one not, two games good, three games bad, you know? I'm trying to do my best. I'm not feeling great after last night. But rest today, see what's going on tomorrow. I'm excited."

Malkin's 37 points rank third on the team behind Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel who are tied with 47 each. But that's also the second-lowest rate of points in Malkin's career (2.76/60), better than only his 2010-11 season (2.6/60). His 18 penalties aren't anything exceptional for him career-wise but does rank as the most penalties on the team this season. His rate of giveaways, 2.76/60, also isn't anything out of the ordinary for him over the course of his career, but it is the highest rate on the team this season.

Mike Sullivan acknowledged the inconsistencies in Malkin's game, more so without the puck. He doesn't think the inconsistencies come from lack of trying, but rather trying too much.

"I I think he's trying to do too much instead of just doing his job and allowing his teammates to do theirs," Sullivan said. "We'd get some predictability within the group, and I think that's when we become difficult to play against. Sometimes G tries to take it upon himself, and he tries to do too much. That's when we get caught in between. I know he's a well-intentioned guy. The most important thing in our message to him has been don't try to do too much, just do your job."

When Malkin does that, Sullivan thinks that he's very much still an effective player for the Penguins.

"He still has elite offensive abilities and he shows them when the opportunities present themselves," Sullivan said. "Just a little more diligence with his play away from the puck, I think will help us."