Malkin not disappearing now
AT THE STANLEY CUP
PITTSBURGH—The language, not the opponent, was always his biggest barrier. Evgeni Malkin has been in the NHL for three years but remains uncomfortable when speaking English, painfully so in group settings. He would much rather have a sitdown with the KGB than the media covering the Stanley Cup finals.
With that in mind, nobody was floored when his response to setting up three goals in the Penguins’ 4-2 victory in Game Three was bolting from the dressing room without addressing the masses. Malkin also vanished from the finals last season, too, but in a way that has an entirely different meaning.
On Wednesday, he showed a lighter side to his personality that’s usually reserved for Penguins only. He provided enough of a glimpse
for people to see he’s actually enjoying the playoffs even though the Red Wings had a 2-1 series advantage going into Game Four tonight in the Igloo.
As it turns out, the guy has a sense of humor.
Malkin stumbled over his words and leaned on Russian teammate Sergei Gonchar for a few answers Wednesday. At times, when the syllables failed to become words, he looked like the frightened kid who showed up on Pittsburgh’s front door to help turn around a once-troubled franchise. And at times he was engaging and downright hilarious.
Understand, we’re not talking Rodney Dangerfield funny, but he cracked a few jokes at the expense of linemate Maxime Talbot, himself one of the more entertaining quotes in the league. His attempt to show he’s one of the boys was a refreshing departure from his distant, mysterious approach in recent years.
“It’s lots of emotion,” he said in describing Talbot’s game. “Yeah, little bit bad hands. He has scoring chance, not score. Just empty net. It’s OK. He learns over the summer.”
Was he speaking with unfiltered honesty about Talbot without grasping the subtleties of English that are required to bend the truth and keep the peace? Or was he teasing Talbot, who had two goals in the third game and sat next to him Wednesday?
His poker face suggested the former until his smile confirmed the latter. Everyone gather around. Evgeni Malkin just made a wisecrack.
“He is a funny guy,” winger Bill Guerin said. “It’s obvious when he’s going to carve somebody because he goes from English right into Russian so you can’t understand it. But that’s one side that I don’t really think people understand. I think people think he’s kind of a quiet guy, but he’s got a great sense of humor.”
Malkin was enjoying the moment Wednesday, but understand this: He’s dead serious about winning tonight and knotting up the best-of-seven series. The Pens learned the hard way last season that the distance between a 3-1 series deficit and 2-2 is greater than the 284 miles separating Pittsburgh and Detroit.
Last year, in his first run through the postseason, Malkin suffocated under the pressure that comes with playing in the finals. He looked overwhelmed against the Red Wings and was criticized heavily for disappearing in big games. Not this year. He’s a better all-around player who has matured into a stronger leader at age 22.
“Last year, he got down on himself,” Talbot said. “People started putting pressure on him and he was definitely down. This year, he feels more confident. He’s more comfortable outside the ice with our team. He knows the language a little bit more. He feels better off the ice, and it shows up on the ice.”
The evidence can be found in his play. Malkin has a goal and five assists in the series. He had a hand in every Pittsburgh goal but the empty-netter Talbot scored in the final minute Tuesday. Malkin could become the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1992 to win Art Ross Trophy (most points in the regular season) and the Conn Smythe Trophy (most valuable player in the postseason) in the same year.
“[Last year], it’s my first year in the NHL [playoffs],” he said. “I’m learning how to play in the playoffs. It’s my second final. I feel great now. . . . It’s the same team. I know how to play Detroit. I try to play a little bit harder.”
It’s a good thing for the Penguins, too, because Detroit has shut down Sidney Crosby, who has one assist in three games.
“It motivates you even more,” Crosby said. “You want to go out there and follow it up. You know he’s doing his part, and you want to do yours.”
Malkin has done his part and then some. He dropped his gloves and challenged Henrik Zetterberg to a fight with 19 seconds remaining in Game Two, an incident that could have ended in suspension for instigating in the final five minutes of a game. NHL warden Colin Campbell pardoned him for the minor dust-up, and Malkin stormed back from a sluggish second period to set up Gonchar for the winner.
Malkin is a finalist for the Hart Trophy, given to the most valuable player in the regular season, after he led the NHL in scoring with 113 points. He has been Pens’ best player throughout the playoffs. He leads the postseason with 33 points.
“He laughs and jokes, but he’s very serious about being a hockey player,” Pens coach Dan Bylsma said. “It’s a tough situation. There’s a lot of hurdles coming from his culture and being a young kid. But that’s who he is. That’s who Evgeni is. And he’s a fiery competitor. He’s passionate. He wants desperately to win.”
Bucky Gleason chats live from the Stanley Cup Final Thursday around 1 p. m. at the Sabres Edge blog on www.buffalonews.com/blogs
e-mail: bgleason@buffnews.com
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