Evgeni Malkin recklessly swings his stick at players' heads on Bruins bench: Suspension likely?

Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins was going to do whatever it took to get his revenge, and that's exactly what he did by swinging his stick at the Bruins.

The Penguins got off to a terrible start to the season, ranking 26th in the league with a league-worst -32 goal differential.

But on this night, they seemed to find their stride against a mid-tier Boston Bruins team expected to give them fits. The game took an ugly turn when Boston's Nikita Zadorov, from the bench, made a cheap poke at Evgeni Malkin's back.

Penguins forward Malkin, 38, didn't take it lightly. He swung back at the bench, seemingly catching a player on the head. Both were called for penalties, though Malkin's hit could interest the NHL's Department of Player Safety.

While Zadorov's poke was unnecessary, Malkin's response, a head strike, is one that could get him a suspension.

The NHL has stated clearly that deliberate, avoidable hits to the head are suspendable, and retaliating against a benched player only makes it worse.

Of course, despite the controversy, Malkin played a huge role in Pittsburgh's 2-1 win, helping the Penguins earn some much-needed redemption. Whether he'll face disciplinary action remains to be seen.

If cleared to play, Malkin will be in the lineup tonight when the Penguins host the Calgary Flames at PPG Paints Arena. Hopefully, this game will be less heated than their clash in Boston.

Update: Evgeni Malkin was fined $5,000.

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