NHL On Tap: Malkin Back for Penguins, But Crosby Unlikely vs. Avalanche Evgeni Malkin will return to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup as they face the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche on Monday night. The Russian forward, who served a five-game suspension for slashing Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres on March 5, is set to play in the matchup at Ball Arena. Pittsburgh, currently tied with the New York Islanders for second in the Metropolitan Division, went 2-1-2 during Malkin’s absence, including a 1-1-1 record in their first three games of a five-game road trip. Captain Sidney Crosby, sidelined since a lower-body injury sustained while playing for Team Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics, has been skating with the team but is unlikely to play. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the league in points with 109, trails Connor McDavid by five points and remains a plus-57 in 64 games. The Avalanche, however, have lost two of their past three contests, narrowing their lead over the Dallas Stars in the Central Division. Artemi Panarin will make his return to Madison Square Garden as the Los Angeles Kings host the New York Rangers. The 34-year-old forward, traded to the Kings on February 4, will face his former team for the first time since his trade. Panarin, who scored 607 points in seven seasons with the Rangers, has 12 points in 10 games with the Kings, who trail the Seattle Kraken by two points for the second wild card in the Western Conference. New York, meanwhile, has won four straight games and is 6-1-2 since returning from the Olympic break. Alexis Lafreniere, who has nine goals in his past 11 games, is one goal away from matching his 2023-24 total of 28. The Detroit Red Wings aim to end a three-game losing streak as they host the Calgary Flames in a Monday Night Hockey matchup.#colorado_avalanche #nathan_mackinnon #evgeni_malkin #pittsburgh_penguins #alexander_olshanski
