Evgeni Malkin has assist, takes low hit at his knees in KHL season debut

Penguins star center Evgeni Malkin won’t be getting the star treatment in the KHL from the opposition and that was evident in Malkin’s season debut today for Metallurg Magnitogorsk as Malkin less than two years removed from a torn ACL, had his knees taken out on a low hit when trying to split the D.

It was a clean hit that’s common in the KHL and will likely have Penguins management cringing to some extent. Malkin is risking his health with his NHL club by playing in the KHL as other NHLer’s who are playing overseas.

As for his debut today with Metallurg Magnitogorsk:

From KHL Website:

Sergei Zinovyev scored three goals, including an overtime winner to give Salavat Yulaev a hard-fought 4-3 win over Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Ufa. A sell-out crowd of 7950 came to see Evgeny Malkin and Sergei Gonchar playing their first KHL game for the visitors. Malkin has opened his account with an assist helping Enver Lisin send the game to overtime on 59:20, but there was nothing to stop Zinovyev tonight, as he sealed the victory 19 seconds from time.

The game was played in front of 7,950 fans in Magnitogorsk, according to the KHL.