Malkin’s Hat Trick Helps Penguins Close Out Columbus
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Kirk Irwin/Getty Images(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Evgeni Malkin scored three goals as Pittsburgh jumped out to a 4-0 lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, the Penguins need to hold off a late rally before winning the game 4-3 and the series 4-2.
“Going into the second round now, you feel so much better when you have confidence,” said Malkin who recorded his 10th hat trick. “I hope in the next round I can score more.”
Malkin’s first goal came just over nine minutes into the contest. He added another four minutes later to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead after one period. Just 34 seconds into the second period, Brandon Sutter made it a three goal advantage before Malkin completed the feat with under seven minutes to play in the frame.
Fortunately for the Penguins, that made it a 4-0 advantage. Columbus, who rallied from down 3-0 to win in Game 4, started a furious comeback attempt with less than 10 minutes to play in regulation. Fedor Tyutin scored a shorthanded goal before Artem Anisimov added a power play score three and a half minutes later. Nick Foligno then closed the gap to one less than a minute and a half later making it a 4-3 Pittsburgh lead with under five minutes remaining.
Marc-Andre Fluery was required to make multiple big saves down the stretch to hold the advantage and finished with 24 stops. Pittsburgh now awaits the winner of the Philadelphia-New York series.
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