Center Evgeni Malkin returned from a one-game absences because of illness and played for the Penguins on Thursday night at Mellon Arena against the New York Islanders. He had missed eight of 10 previous games, the one because of illness and seven others with a bruised right foot.
With two remaining regular season games, Malkin is likely to finish with career-low totals in goals and points because he has missed a career-high 15 games. Malkin has averaged 1.13 points per game before last night; his career average was 1.23.
» Left wing Chris Kunitz missed his second straight game because of an injured shoulder. Coach Dan Bylsma said he is day-to-day, although Kunitz did briefly skate in a morning practice. Kunitz, a regular top-line forward, has missed a career-high 30 games because of various injuries. The Penguins would like him to play in one of two weekend games before the Stanley Cup playoffs open next week.
» Upper St. Clair's Dylan Reese played his first NHL game in Pittsburgh. Reese, a defenseman, has appeared in 17 games for the Islanders since he was acquired from Columbus on March 1. He was a star for the Pittsburgh Forge, a former Junior A Tier 11 club that was founded in 2001. That club produced a handful of players who played collegiate hockey and went on to pro careers — including Reese, who attended Harvard and was drafted 209th overall in 2003 by the New York Rangers.
» Penguins scratches for the final regular-season game at Mellon Arena: Kunitz, right wing Eric Godard and defenseman Jay McKee.
» If center Sidney Crosby is able to win his second scoring title — he began yesterday seven off Vancouver center Henrik Sedin's lead — the Penguins would close Mellon Arena with 14 winners of the Art Ross Trophy dating to former center Mario Lemieux's first in 1988. Only the Los Angeles Kings have produced multiple scoring champions over that span, former center Wayne Gretzky's wins in 1990, 1991 and 1994. Lemieux missed significant games because of injuries in each of those seasons.
