Penguins star Evgeni Malkin suspended one game for swinging stick at Flyers' Michael Raffl

The Pittsburgh Penguins had just gotten star Evgeni Malkin back on Monday night from a five-game injury absence.

Now, they will be without him again after he was suspended for one game on Tuesday for swinging his stick at the Philadelphia Flyers' Michael Raffl.

"This is an intentional stick swing directed at an opponent with force at a dangerous height for the purposes of retaliation," the NHL said in a video.

Malkin, who will forfeit $51,075.27 in pay, was being worked over by Raffl late in the third period near the Philadelphia blue line. When Raffl punched Malkin in the back of the head, the center reacted by swinging his stick around one-handed.

Malkin received a match penalty and was kicked out, leaving the Penguins short-handed for the remainder of the game. Jakub Voracek scored 20 seconds later to give the Flyers their first goal of the game.

"I know it was dirty, but I missed my stick and I touched his, like, shoulder to shoulder, I don’t know," Malkin told reporters after the game. "Everyone was like give me five minutes. It wasn’t dangerous, he wasn’t bleeding or anything. I know it gave them a five-minute power play and it was my fault, for sure, but just play smart next time."

The NHL acknowledged that Malkin's stick made only glancing contact with Raffl, but "this does not excuse his actions. In fact, NHL stick fouls do not require that contact actually be made for discipline to be assessed."

The suspension was the first of Malkin's career. He had received a match penalty in November for an illegal hit to the head of Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie, but the league ruled against giving him further discipline. He has been fined twice previously.

The Penguins had plenty going for them in the 4-1 win on Monday. Goalie Matt Murray made 50 saves and Kris Letang set a franchise record for career goals by a defenseman (109). 

The Penguins ended a four-game losing streak and ended their hard-charging division rival's 10-game point streak to get some breathing room in the playoff race before the teams meet outdoors at the Philadelphia Eagles' Lincoln Financial Field on Feb. 23.

But now they will be without Malkin again, plus injured defenseman Olli Maatta, as they try to build on that momentum at home Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers.