DENVER — It was a rough night at the office. 

Pittsburgh Penguins received a statement performance from Evgeni Malkin in his return to the lineup, as the veteran tallied two goals and an assist in a commanding 7–2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Monday night.

Suiting up for the first time after serving a five-game suspension for slashing Rasmus Dahlin in a March 5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Malkin looked sharp from the opening shift and drove Pittsburgh’s offense throughout the night.

Erik Karlsson added a goal and two assists, while Bryan Rust, Elmer Söderblom, and Noel Acciari each recorded a goal and an assist. The Penguins (34-18-15) have now won two straight and improved to 2-1-1 through the first four games of their five-game road trip. In net, Artūrs Šilovs made 25 saves.

For Colorado, Nathan MacKinnon and Brent Burns scored, but the Avalanche (44-13-9) dropped their second straight and third in the last four.

It was a difficult night in goal. Scott Wedgewood was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in the opening 13 minutes. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 12 shots in relief, but Pittsburgh controlled the pace from start to finish.

Jared Bednar “That start is not on Wedgie at all.”

— Meghan Angley (@megangley) March 17, 2026

First Period

The opening frame was chaotic from the outset, filled with early penalties, odd-man rushes, and a quick momentum swing in Pittsburgh’s favor.

Just 48 seconds in, Malkin was whistled for tripping Devon Toews, giving Colorado an early power play that failed to generate anything.

Moments after exiting the box, Malkin made an immediate impact. Rust found him in stride, and he slipped a backhand past Wedgewood at 3:01 to open the scoring.

Colorado answered quickly. Off a clean breakout led by Cale Makar, Martin Nečas carried the puck into the zone before feeding MacKinnon, who wired a shot past Šilovs to tie the game 1–1.

The deadlock lasted just 15 seconds.

Brock Nelson was quick to come to the defense of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood in tonight's 7-2 loss:

"I'm sure people are saying goaltending with a number like that, but there's none of them that are on them. We have to be better in front."

Full postgame presser ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/XrDehKMbP4

— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) March 17, 2026

Karlsson launched a stretch pass to Anthony Mantha, who broke in alone and restored the lead with a backhand finish.

Colorado’s power play struggled to find rhythm, failing again after a cross-checking penalty to Ville Koivunen.

Midway through the period, Pittsburgh extended the lead. On a 2-on-1, Parker Wotherspoon fed Malkin, who snapped home his second of the night to make it 3–1.

That goal ended Wedgewood’s night, prompting head coach Jared Bednar to turn to Blackwood.

The change didn’t help.

On the first shot he faced, Söderblom buried a rebound off a shot from Connor Dewar to push the lead to 4–1.

Burns responded late in the period, blasting a point shot over Šilovs’ glove with 5:09 remaining to cut the deficit to 4–2.

Despite being outshot 17–7, Pittsburgh capitalized on its chances and carried a two-goal lead into intermission.

Second Period

Colorado had opportunities early but couldn’t solve its power-play issues.

Mantha was called for holding Josh Manson just 3:30 into the period, but the Avalanche came up empty again.

At 10:36, Karlsson fired a shot through traffic that beat Blackwood to make it 5–2. At that point, Pittsburgh had scored five goals on just 10 shots.

Brock Nelson was quick to say that the did not do enough to support their goaltenders. Said their checking game was not good enough and they gave Pittsburgh too many easy looks.

— Meghan Angley (@megangley) March 17, 2026

A tripping penalty to Šilovs—served by Egor Chinakhov—gave Colorado another chance, but the power play continued to sputter, dropping to 0-for-4.

Moments later, Pittsburgh got its own opportunity when Nic Roy was sent off for hooking Ryan Shea. Colorado killed that penalty but immediately took another for too many men, extending the Penguins’ advantage.

That sequence proved costly.

Rickard Rakell intercepted a pass in the offensive zone and fed Malkin, who quickly sent Rust in alone. He finished the breakaway to make it 6–2, capping a clinical stretch for Pittsburgh.

Third Period

The Avalanche showed some push early in the third, generating pressure and attacking the net.

Nazem Kadri led the charge with a strong zone entry and a spinning shot, but Šilovs turned it aside.

At 9:06, Pittsburgh added one more. Söderblom delivered a spinning pass that deflected off Acciari and into an open net, with Gavin Brindley and Nick Blankenburg unable to clear the puck.

Sam Malinski on tonight's game:

"Frustrating is probably the best word."

Sam Malinski | Full postgame presser ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f19rc8SFRO

— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) March 17, 2026

That made it 7–2 and effectively put the game out of reach.

Notables

Bednar said the injured players will be evaluated at the end of the week to see about their availability for the upcoming eight-day road trip. Those players include Gabriel Landeskog (Upper-Body), Artturi Lehkonen (Upper-Body), Ross Colton (Upper-Body), and Logan O'Connor (Upper-Body). 

Next Up

The Avalanche wrap up their homestand Wednesday against the Dallas Stars at 7:30 p.m. MT. The game will air on TNT, HBO Max, and Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.