Evgeni Malkin suspended four games for cross-checking vs. Predators

Pittsburgh Penguins C Evgeni Malkin was suspended four games for cross-checking on Nashville Predators D Mark Borowiecki. Malkin went high to Borowiecki face with his stick in Sunday’s game. The Penguins center also slashed Borowiecki prior to the cross-check, which forced the defenseman to leave the game.

The Penguins would go on to win the game 3-2. That win ended a four-game losing streak for Pittsburgh, which is looking to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. At 94 points, the Penguins are holding down third place in the Metropolitan division with eight games to go. The Penguins have four points on the Washington Capitals, who sit as the second wild card team in the East at 90 points.

Pittsburgh won’t have Malkin for four key games, including two against the Boston Bruins and two vs. the New York Islanders. That stretch will be tougher to weather without Malkin, who has 37 points in 37 games this season. Most of those points have come on the power play.