Evgeni Malkin didn't play much in his return to the Penguins' lineup in a 5-4 win over the Islanders.
He saw just 12:10 of ice time, the lowest ice time he saw in any of his complete games this season.
While the Penguins seemed to be easing Malkin back into the lineup after his return from an apparent lower-body injury, he didn't seem to be any worse for the wear after missing Games 1 and 2 and picked up two primary assists in the win.
"I thought Geno made some plays," Mike Sullivan said after the game. "That's what he does for us. He has the ability to make plays that most guys can't. He factors in on two of our goals tonight, he was a big part of both of them. That's what Geno brings to this team. Our opponents have to pay attention when he's on the ice, because he has game-breaking ability."
Malkin's first point of the postseason came off of a give-and-go with Jason Zucker late in the middle frame:
Malkin played 1:33 of power play time in the win, a second shy of the 1:34 Jeff Carter and Kasperi Kapanen each saw for the team lead in ice time on the man advantage. Malkin set up Carter's power play goal at the seven-minute mark of the third period with a quick, direct feed that Carter had praise for after the game:
"I thought he looked strong," Carter said of Malkin. "He was moving well, making plays. On my second goal there, he made a great play to me. I was just trying to go to the net, I didn't expect the pass. But good players like that make those plays. It was fun to have him out there, I thought he brought a big boost to our lineup."
While Malkin's ice time suggests that he needs some time before being 100 percent re-acclimated, his play didn't give that impression. He didn't seem to be shying away from physical contact. He recorded one hit of his own and received three, and at one point leaned in for a reverse hit when he saw Matt Martin coming toward him:
The two blocked shots by Malkin tied him for the team lead in the game. Dropping to block a shot the way he did was another encouraging sign that he was feeling strong in the game:
He took two shot attempts in the game, both of which registered a shot on goal:
"He's an elite player for us," Kris Letang said of the impact of getting Malkin back in the lineup. "I think he's going to get more and more comfortable as he plays more games. I think he played well tonight. He was able to create a lot of chances, he was able to hold onto the puck. It was good to have him back."
Before the game, Barry Trotz spoke about the danger the Penguins' center depth presents when Malkin is healthy.
"The three-headed monster that they have when Malkin plays, at center ice, they're pretty loaded," Trotz said. "You're going to have two Hall of Famers and one that's pretty close."
That proved to be true in Game 3, with Carter scoring twice, Malkin setting up two goals, and Sidney Crosby's potentially game-saving defensive play near the end of the game. With the fourth line getting the game-winner with Brandon Tanev's goal, it just shows the impact that the Penguins' forward depth all the way through the lineup can have on a game.
"To have the depth that we have at this point with Carts in the middle now, we think we have a pretty balanced attack on any given night," Sullivan said. "Any line can score. Any line can help us offensively, and we have lines that we can utilize in different situations depending on what's called upon throughout the course of the game."
"With (Malkin) back in the lineup, we become very deep down the middle as a group," Tanev said after the game. "I think it's the identity of our team. We have great depth, we've shown that throughout the season with adversity with injuries. But it's playoff hockey now, and everybody wants to be in the lineup. It's a great team win, and we're looking forward to the next one here."
