Malkin apologizes to Penguins fans after lopsided loss to Stars

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Evgeni Malkin could only apologize.

The 38-year-old center has experienced a bit of everything in 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Three Stanley Cup championships. A fair share of disappointments too.

Monday was new. In a 7-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, the Penguins allowed six first-period goals at home for the first time since joining the NHL in 1967.

“Last night, I want to say sorry to the fans,” Malkin said Tuesday. “They [watched] a really bad game. I hope we, together, find a good way, win tomorrow and start building the team better.”

The remarks followed a practice lasting about 30 minutes. Afterward, coach Mike Sullivan gathered the players at center ice.

Sullivan chose not to share the message, other than it revolved around the loss Monday.

Malkin said he couldn’t speak for Sullivan but did provide context.

“He said, 'Like, it's a tough night for everybody. Not just players or coaches, but the whole city, probably,’” Malkin said.

There were no line rushes. Special teams were a focus.

Changes aren’t likely to be shown until warmups Wednesday, ahead of their next game, against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MAX, TNT).

Lines have been juggled through the first month this season.

Malkin was left wing on the first line with center Sidney Crosby for six straight games before Monday, returning to his usual spot at second-line center. He leads Pittsburgh with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 17 games.

Regardless of the lineup, the players are good enough but need the right perspective, Malkin said.

“Again, tomorrow is a new day. Today is a new day. And tomorrow is a new game,” Malkin said. “It's time to play better at home, for sure, and show our best. We can play better, for sure, because our group is, like, I love it.

“There are good guys here. We're tight. We're together. But we need to stop looking to each other, probably. We have to play (with) each other.”

The Penguins (6-9-2) are seventh in the Metropolitan Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference, and are tied with the Montreal Canadiens for 31st in the NHL with a goal differential of minus-21.

Still, there have been positives; on Friday, Malkin scored the go-ahead goal at 10:28 of the third period in a 4-2 win at the Washington Capitals.

“I'm probably happy because I helped the team to win," he said.

And then?

“Next game, we lost 7-1. It's like a bad mood right now,” Malkin said. “It's all about the team. When the team wins, you feel better, your game is better, your confidence is better. We're all connected with each other.”

And there’s the issue. Every high has, seemingly, been followed by an equal or greater low.

That inconsistency became a theme the previous two seasons, missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs after 16 straight appearances.

"It's hard because it's up and down,” Malkin said. “We play good against Washington then, like, next game, we're back to home and it's weird. It's hard to say what's going on in the first period last night.

“But again, we have to fight for all 60 minutes. Everybody. I hope we find a good direction. Again, we still find, like, a way to build the team.”

How that's done isn't clear, forward Bryan Rust said.

“There’s obviously been fluctuations,” Rust said. “And if we would have had all the answers, we wouldn’t have done the things that have happened this past however long. Obviously, we’re trying to search for answers and search for ways to be more consistent. That’s our goal right now, to get to that as fast as we can.”

Rust is one of four players remaining from back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. Defenseman Kris Letang, Malkin and Crosby also won the Stanley Cup in 2009.

A return to the old ways can't just be on them.

“Everybody has a voice,” Letang said. “It doesn’t matter if you have a letter or you’re a coach. Every single player has to be able to say what they think. If they have ideas of how to fix things that we’re not really good at right now, you can voice it. It just needs to be an open conversation between each other.

“We all feel [lousy] after a game like that. ... At the end of the day, you have to be able to look at what we’ve done, how to fix it, find ways to do it. Maybe get back to basics. Just try to play as a team, play for the guy next to you.”

There’s still time.

“You can't win if you're not optimistic,” Malkin said. “It's a long season. How many games left, 65? It's still a long way. It's hard to say if you're not optimistic.

“You can't be mad every day. It's a new day. Life is good. Everybody is healthy. Why not? Just do what we can. We have a good practice today and we see what happens tomorrow. One win can change everything."