Remember that brutal hit Mike Richards laid on Evgeni Malkin in Game 1 of the Flyers-Pens ECF series? The one where Malkin got up slowly, couldn't get back to the play, then scored because he was still in the offensive zone? It was somewhat demoralizing to witness, giving us that feeling that no matter how hard the Flyers came out and hit, the Pens weren't going to wither away. However, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Dave Molinari thinks that hit, combined with a lingering illness, may have been the cause of a precipitous drop in Malkin's game down the stretch.
He also is believed to have been bothered by the effects from a
crushing check he got from Philadelphia center Mike Richards in Game 1
of the Eastern Conference final.Malkin had 17 points in the Penguins' first 10 playoff games, but
only two over the next eight before closing out the Cup final with a
goal and two assists in the final two.
Video of said hit after the jump.
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Hard to say how much effect the hit had, considering he drilled a goal on that same shift, but it was pretty nasty.