NHL Playoffs: Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin guarantees that there will be a Game 7

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin made a bold proclamation by guaranteeing that there will be a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins currently find themselves with their backs against the wall after losing Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in overtime. Pittsburgh lost a 2-0 lead in the second period and a 3-2 lead in the third period before Tyler Johnson’s overtime time goal secured the Game 5 victory for Tampa Bay. Despite being down 3-2 and heading to Amalie Arena in Tampa for Game 6, the Penguins are still confident. In fact, Evgeni Malkin channeled his inner Mark Messier.

Malkin is presumably suggesting there will be a Game 7, meaning the Penguins will win Game 6. But technically, even if the Penguins lose Game 6, he is right — the Penguins will be returning to Pittsburgh whether they win or lose. It’s a bold proclamation by Malkin, but is it any more ludicrous than the guarantee he made back in January that the Penguins would make the playoffs? Probably not.

In order to make sure there will be a Game 7, Malkin will need to have a major impact on the game in Game 6. He has a point in three straight games, and he will almost certainly have to keep that streak going if there is to be a Game 7. It’s on Malkin, Crosby, Kessel and the rest of the Penguins to man up and win Game 6 to force a Game 7. Malkin will look mighty foolish if he can’t back up his talk.

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