Penguins' Evgeni Malkin suspended four games for 'retaliatory and aggressive' cross-check
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Evgeni Malkin for the next four games after the center was suspended Monday by the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Malkin, 35, had a brief altercation with Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki during the Penguins' 3-2 win on Sunday. At the end of the second period, the two got tangled up which led to Malkin slashing Borowiecki's stick from his hand and hitting him in the face with a cross check that drew blood.
"We find Malkin's cross-check to be retaliatory and aggressive," the NHL announced in a video explaining the suspension. "While we heard Malkin's assertion that Borowiecki initiated the scrum by restraining him 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 is simply no justification for a player to forcefully and intentionally cross-check a player in this manner."
Malkin is in his 16th year with the Penguins and has 37 points in 37 games played this season. Pittsburgh is currently third in the Metropolitan Division and will be without Malkin for a pair of games each against the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins.
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