Pittsburgh Review

On Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, Evgeni Malkin scored his 500th career goal, joining an exclusive group as the 48th player in NHL history to reach this milestone. He is also only the second Russian player to achieve this feat, following Alex Ovechkin. The Pittsburgh Penguins have now become just the second team in NHL history to have three players with 500 or more goals, alongside Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux.

Sidney Crosby expressed his admiration for Malkin's achievement, stating, "The way he did it, that was a pretty awesome goal. I'll have a great memory of that one." Crosby recalled witnessing Malkin's first-ever NHL goal during his debut against the New Jersey Devils on October 18, 2006. "I had a front-row seat to watch him do it," Crosby added.

Ryan Whitney, who assisted on Malkin’s first goal, remembered the excitement surrounding Malkin's arrival. “It must have been the last one of the last few home games,” Whitney said. He described how fans and players were eagerly anticipating Malkin's debut after seeing his highlights from international play.

Mark Recchi reflected on playing alongside Malkin during his early days in the league: “I couldn't believe the size, the skating, the mobility he had.” Recchi emphasized Malkin’s competitiveness and physical attributes that stood out immediately.

Sergei Gonchar shared insights into Malkin’s challenges before joining the NHL, including dealing with an injury and leaving Russia amid complications. Gonchar stated, "You could kind of see the relief on his face" when Malkin scored his first goal.

Crosby described feeling nervous about whether Malkin’s first goal would count due to a possible call by referees but expressed happiness when it was confirmed. "Honestly, I was really excited for him," he said.

Whitney praised Malkin’s underrated shooting ability and deception as key elements of his success as a goal scorer. Crosby also highlighted Malkin's diverse scoring techniques: “There’s a lot of different ways that he’s scored.”

Gonchar noted how Malkin's passion is evident every time he scores: "It's a joy to see that few seconds of him being emotional."

Malkin himself acknowledged his pride in reaching this milestone despite coming from a small town in Russia. Gonchar concluded by saying he is proud of what Malkin has achieved through hard work and dedication: "I'm happy for him... Not that many players are able to do that."