When the Washington Capitals visit the Pittsburgh Penguins this Thursday night, they may not have to contend with the Penguins' Evgeni Malkin. The center missed the Penguins' 4-2 victory against the Florida Panthers on Sunday due to lower-body pain. Further, that soreness did not subside enough for him to practice on Wednesday, according to Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post. As such, it's unclear whether Malkin will be available against the Capitals.
The Penguins are already without franchise player Sidney Crosby, as they have been since January, when the 23-year-old suffered a concussion. Despite missing two of their top players for much of the season--Malkin has played in just two games--the Penguins stand at 3-0-1, tops in the NHL. At 2-0-0, Washington is no slouch itself, so Thursday's battle promises to be compelling.
We'll have more updates about Thursday's game in this StoryStream. Remember to visit Japers' Rink and SB Nation DC for complete Capitals coverage. Pensburgh and SB Nation Pittsburgh offer the perspective from the Penguins' side.