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Evgeni Malkin's status becomes clear at Penguins practice while a worrying absence emerges
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Evgeni Malkin skated Tuesday, and the Pittsburgh Penguins finally exhaled after that Vancouver moment.
At the end of the Canucks game, Malkin looked uncomfortable enough to spike real panic.
The first sign that mattered came at practice, a normal jersey, normal pace.
That is the kind of "nothing to see here" that keeps a top-six from tilting into survival mode.
It also matters because Pittsburgh is staring at a tight stretch that starts Thursday.
Dan Potash's report had one red flag, everyone was out there except Jack St. Ivany.
St. Ivany leaving the Vancouver game hurt enough that "out a while" is now in the conversation.
Evgeni Malkin keeps the Pittsburgh Penguins steady
Pens fans have seen "day to day" turn into weeks, so nobody is doing victory laps yet.
Still, a normal sweater usually means the shoulder scare stayed a scare.
Malkin's production has not dipped lately, with a three-game run of 3-2-5.
If he is driving a line again, the man advantage stays dangerous, and the whole lineup breathes easier.
The other side is the blue line, because St. Ivany has quietly been a useful, low-drama option.
He is 26, drafted in 2018 in the fourth round by Philadelphia, and the kind of depth piece you miss fast when injuries stack up.
Pittsburgh is 26-14-11, and this week is not the time to start patching pairings with duct tape.
Get through Thursday, then survive to February 5, and maybe the break arrives with the group still intact.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 27|176 ANSWERS Evgeni Malkin's status becomes clear at Penguins practice while a worrying absence emerges Should the Pittsburgh Penguins sit Evgeni Malkin for one game even if he says he's fine? | ||
| Yes | 79 | 44.9 % |
| No | 97 | 55.1 % |
| List of polls | ||