Penguins coach Mike Sullivan minced no words when addressing Evgeni Malkin’s status for the team’s first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Geno will be in the lineup and full-go,” Sullivan said after the Penguins’ practice Tuesday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
Malkin also said he will play in Game 1 of the team’s first round series Wednesday against Columbus at PPG Paints Arena. He missed the final 13 games of the regular season with an upper-body injury.
“I will play tomorrow, for sure,” Malkin said Tuesday.
Malkin has been practicing with the team for nearly a week and appeared close to returning in the final two regular-season games. Instead, he’ll see his first action since March 15 in a postseason contest.
“It's a long time,” Malkin said. “I hope my first game, I’ll do my best. I know it's not easy, but what will you do? Just play. Just play a couple of shifts. After that, keep going. Play my game. Control the puck, a couple of hits and I'm ready to play.”
Malkin said he felt good shooting the puck Tuesday, taking wrist shots, slap shots and one-timers. He went through line rushes in his normal spot on the Penguins’ second line, working with wingers Bryan Rust and Phil Kessel.
“Geno's obviously one of the best players in the world, and whenever he’s in the lineup, we’re a better team,” Kessel said.
Malkin returning to the ice would represent the biggest boost the Penguins have gotten over the past few weeks, as they’ve had a number of players returning from injury. No one quite as valuable, though, as Malkin, who finished second on the team in goals (33) and points (72) despite missing 20 games this season.
Malkin was in a similar situation last year, when he missed the last month of the season before returning in Game 2 of the Penguins’ first-round series against the Rangers.
“I think the biggest challenge is my legs,” he said. “Just first couple of shifts, I know it will be hard. I need to keep going. Not playing a long time, I know they're coming. Take a couple of hits, a couple of shifts, and get ready.”
Murray in net
Matt Murray’s absence from the lineup over the Penguins’ final two games may have raised some eyebrows, but both Murray and Sullivan confirmed that he’ll be good to go Wednesday night against Columbus.
Murray did not dress against Toronto or New York, with Marc-Andre Fleury and rookie Tristan Jarry splitting the two games. Murray’s last action came Thursday in New Jersey, and late in that game he appeared to come up awkwardly after stopping a Taylor Hall breakaway attempt.
Nothing serious, though.
“Matt’s fine,” Sullivan said. “He had a strong practice today, we got him some good rest. He’s ready to go.”
Murray said he didn’t expect this year to feel too much different than last season’s playoff run, even though he has an entire NHL season under his belt now compared to just 13 games last year.
“Things are heightened a little bit, intensity-wise, in the playoffs, but at the end of the day, it's still hockey,” he said. “You just do what you think you need to do to be successful.”
12th man
Carter Rowney appears to be in line to get the nod as the Penguins’ 12th forward Wednesday. Rowney took line rushes in practice alongside Tom Kuhnhackl and Matt Cullen on the fourth line.
Sullivan said Rowney, who has split time between winger and center this season also gives the Penguins another option in the faceoff circle.
“He’s playing determined hockey,” Sullivan said. “He’s physical, he’s a stiff player, he’s strong on the puck, he’s good on the wall and he’s a good faceoff man. He’s a guy that has been very valuable for our team here in the last month.”
Injury updates
Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Sullivan said. Ruhwedel was seen leaving the Penguins’ locker room in New York Sunday with a cast on his right hand and wrist. … Winger Carl Hagelin skated on his own before the Penguins’ practice Tuesday, and Sullivan said there’s a chance he could return at some point in the first round of the playoffs.
Sam Werner: swerner@post-gazette.com and Twitter @SWernerPG
First Published: April 11, 2017, 4:54 p.m.