Pittsburgh Penguins centreman Evgeni Malkin will not face any further discipline for his high hit on Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports.
Malkin was ejected from Pittsburgh’s 2-1 loss to the Capitals Wednesday night after delivering a high, questionable hit that briefly knocked Oshie out of the match.
Early in the third period of the tilt, the forwards collided as Malkin carried the puck into the Capitals’ zone on the power play. The Penguins pivot appeared to raise his shoulder and connect with Oshie’s head as the winger skated towards him at the blue line, sending Oshie tumbling to the ice in pain.
According to Johnston, Malkin escaped punishment from the league as it was deemed he was bracing for contact immediately after releasing the puck, and didn’t change course or connect with his elbow or stick.
Malkin was assessed a match penalty for the incident. Oshie was forced to the Capitals’ locker room for the middle chunk of the third period, before returning to score the game-winning goal with 1:14 left in the final frame.
Following the tense meeting, Oshie told reporters post-game he was unconcerned with whether or not Malkin would receive any supplemental discipline as the Capitals emerged with the victory.
Malkin has amassed 22 penalty minutes through 14 games thus far in 2018-19, most among all Penguins skaters, along with seven goals and 20 total points. His 87 penalty minutes last season ranked tied for 12th-most in the league by the season’s end.
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