Penguins’ goal: Stop Ovechkin, start up Malkin

Penguins’ goal: Stop Ovechkin, start up Malkin

PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin stepped into the Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice rink dressing room and spotted a large group of reporters forming a faceoff circle around his seat. He quickly scooted into an adjacent off-limits area without taking any questions.

Malkin is successful on a breakaway again. If only he could do it against the Washington Capitals.

In a playoff series that is all Alex Ovechkin and all Sidney Crosby all the time, Malkin is mostly invisible. The NHL’s leading scorer has no goals, no breakaways and nowhere near the offense he produced while totaling 113 points during the season.

It’s perhaps the key reason why the Penguins have no victories as they return home for a virtual must-win Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday night. They’re down 2-0 to Washington.