Pittsburgh’s Evgenig Malkin played his 1,000th game with the club as Chicago was defeated 5-3 on the road. Malkin scored the second goal of the match.
– It’s an emotional evening for me, he says after the match.
Evgeny Malkin They celebrated the anniversary game by scoring 2-0 in the second period. After, after Sidney Crosby Malkin is the second player to play 1,000 or more games for Pittsburgh.
The first goal of the evening was scored by Swede Rikard Raquel and the third goal for Pittsburgh was scored by himself, then his teammate Marcus Peterson scored it.
After three consecutive away goals, Chicago caught up with a 3-3 lead. At the end of the third period, Sidney Crosby put an end to it with his tenth goal of the season.
Soderblom in the goal
Chicago’s goalkeeper, Swede Arvid Soderblom, made 20 saves with a ball on goal. He scored the fifth goal for Pittsburgh in the open cage in the final seconds.
It was the third consecutive game that Pittsburgh won away from home. Chicago has lost four straight games.
Evgeny Malkin was surprised by his son Nikita, who appeared in the locker room before the game to read the first five.
– I hope he will probably also play in the NHL and I will do the same for him, says an animated Malkin after the match.
Celebrate the Chicago Legends
Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan praised Malkin for his efforts for the club.
– This achievement is a great achievement. There are not many players in this league who play 1,000 games, or 1,000 games for one club, as he says after the game.
The NHL player who has played the most games in the NHL is Patrick Marleau. Between 1997 and 2021, he played 1,779 games, mainly with San Jose. Niklas Lidström is the Swede who played the most matches in the professional league – 1,564 between 1991 and 2012.
Prior to relegation, Chicago legend Marian Hossa was honored in a retirement ceremony when his jersey number (81) was retired and hoisted onto the roof of the United Center arena.