As Evgeni Malkin prepares to play his 1,000th game, we take a look back at his greatest goals with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been blessed with not one, but two generational talents to lead their team over the past two decades. Evgeni Malkin, staring down his 1,000th career game, has already placed himself amongst the NHL's greatest players, with more games left to play.
Over the course of Malkin's career for the Penguins, he has scored myriad highlight reel goals. Here are the top five goals scored in his ongoing career.
5. Geno Tallies his First
After nearly two years of delaying and scheming, Malkin finally landed in Pittsburgh for the 2006-07 season. He wasted no time showing why he was the second overall pick in the 2004 draft. Geno's first NHL goal came across the all-time great, Martin Brodeur.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j7KB0LwYs0[/embed]
Geno showed off his patented burst through the neutral zone, backing the defense up as he carried the puck. After dishing the puck to Mark Recchi, Malkin follows the puck to the net and jams the loose puck in behind Brodeur. This would springboard Malkin to making history, as the first player since 1917 to score in each of his first six NHL games.
4. Malkin Dances Through Tampa Bay
One of the most beautiful plays of his career, Malkin pulled off an all-time goal with this individual effort against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZAugIBdH14[/embed]
Geno receives the puck with speed and carries it with ease into the offensive zone, dangling through the defenders before he tucks one home through goaltender Dwayne Roloson's five-hole. This goal is a mixture of Malkin's best qualities: offensive instinct and touch combined with his massive and agile frame.
3. Geno Copies Lemieux
Malkin wasted no time embarrassing opposing goaltenders. The first recipient of his terror was all-time great and previously mentioned, Brodeur. In the Penguins first 10 games in the 2006-07 season, they met the Devils twice. Malkin made himself known in both contests, and even evoked memories of Mario Lemieux with this show-stopping goal.
Breaking up the ice, Malkin receives a sensational feed from Sidney Crosby that splits the New Jersey defenders. Malkin gains a step on one of them and dangles the puck through the other one's legs to break through to Brodeur. And as the two passed defenders hound Malkin with slashes and hooks, Geno slides the puck to his back hand and tucks it into the net while falling.
It was this goal by Malkin that let the Penguins and the NHL know, that the Pens now had two superstars on their team. And they haven't stopped showing the league since.
2. Geno's Slapper Against Philadelphia
One of the constants in Malkin's career is his fiery temper when set off. Especially earlier in his career, Malkin had a propensity to get truly fired up. There was no better example than this goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2008 playoffs.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvPLhYQYxK0[/embed]
After getting plastered following a scoring attempt, Malkin is slow to regain himself in the offensive zone and the Russian Bear emerged for the first time. Malkin floated around his offensive blue line, and was wide open for a Sergei Gonchar pass after a Philadelphia turnover.
All alone with the goaltender, Marty Biron, Malkin skates in to the face-off dots. He then winds up and launches an absolute cannon past the helpless Biron to give the Penguins a two goal lead in a game they ultimately won.
1. Hat-Trick Goal in Eastern Conference Finals- 2009
The signature moment in Malkin's career has to be his run in the 2009 postseason. In 24 games, Malkin put up a staggering 14 goals and 36 points en route to his first and only Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. His MVP performance was highlighted by his performance in game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes.
After two periods of back and forth hockey with the Hurricanes on the brink of elimination, Malkin went into beast mode to eliminate them. Shortly after giving the team a 5-4 lead on his second goal of the night, Malkin turned in his most incredible goal scoring effort of his career.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gkRFsKCvmk[/embed]
Malkin won the face-off, pushing the puck behind the opposing center, and won possession of the puck. He then skated behind the net and goaltender Cam Ward, and with a Carolina defensemen playing him tightly, Geno elevated a turning back-handed shot above the shoulder of Ward for the hat-trick. As the hats flew down, it was apparent that both Geno and the Penguins would not be stopped on their quest to the Stanley Cup.
Malkin has provided countless highlights and memories for the Penguins over his 1,000-game career. As Malkin transitions into the veteran stage of his career, it's incredible to look back at everything he has done for this team. And there is still so much more to come.
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