Penguins' Evgeni Malkin reaches major goal scoring milestone vs. Sabres
Today at 09:43 PM
It was a night of milestones at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday, as the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Buffalo Sabres. Captain Sidney Crosby became the 10th player in NHL history to reach 1,600 points, and now fellow Penguins legend and future Hall of Famer Evgeni Malkin has achieved a historic milestone of his own.
His third-period tally was the 500th of his career, and he became the 48th player in NHL history to achieve that mark while also becoming just the 20th player to do so all while playing for a single franchise. Malkin also joined Alexander Ovechkin as the only two Russian players to reach the 500-goal milestone.
He took a pass from Crosby and beat Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on his own rebound while falling to the ice for the history goal. Immediately, his teammates all left the bench to congratulate and celebrate with him.
EVGENI MALKIN GETS NUMBER 500 AND THE PENS CLEAR THE BENCH TO CELEBRATE pic.twitter.com/uaz16DghGG
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 17, 2024
To make the night even more historic, Malkin and Crosby are now just the second duo in NHL history to each score 500 goals while playing for the same team. The first to achieve this feat? Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty.
Evgeni Malkin has played his entire NHL career with the Penguins
Like his longtime teammate Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin has spent his entire NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing a key role in each of their Stanley Cup victories in 2009, 2016, and 2017. Malkin earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player during the 2009 playoff run.
Affectionately known as “Gino” to Penguins fans, Malkin was selected second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft, just behind fellow Russian star Alexander Ovechkin.
Malkin has now amassed 500 goals and 804 assists in his career, along with 67 goals and 113 assists in 177 postseason games. When he eventually retires, his No. 71 jersey is sure to be raised to the rafters at PPG Paints Arena, likely alongside Crosby's.
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