Penguins' Evgeni Malkin: Back with bang in series opener

Malkin (shoulder) posted two assists with a plus-1 rating, two blocked shots and a hit in Wednesday's Game 1 victory against the Blue Jackets.

Analysis:

Those stats are a great sign that Malkin is confident about his shoulder. While he was worried about "finding his legs," he certainly looked good in his return. He moved past Jaromir Jagr and into third place in playoff assists (83) on the franchise list, trailing only Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux. You can start Malkin without concern heading into Game 2 against the Blue Jackets on Friday.