Malkin's Hat Trick Ends Panthers' Three-Peat Bid

Penguins rout Florida 9-4 as Malkin reaches historic NHL milestone

Apr. 6, 2026 at 2:31pm

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Evgeni Malkin recorded his 14th career hat trick and added an assist to become the 23rd player in NHL history to reach 1,400 career points, as the Pittsburgh Penguins routed the Florida Panthers 9-4 on Saturday, eliminating the Panthers' bid for a third straight Stanley Cup championship.

Why it matters

Malkin's historic performance against the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions underscores his status as one of the NHL's all-time greats, while the lopsided loss ends Florida's quest to become the first team to win three consecutive titles since the 1980s Edmonton Oilers.

The details

Malkin scored three goals and set up another as the Penguins overwhelmed the Panthers with a dominant offensive display. Pittsburgh scored nine goals, the most Florida has allowed in a game this season, to hand the defending champions their most lopsided defeat of the year.

  • The game took place on Saturday, April 6, 2026.

The players

Evgeni Malkin

A veteran center for the Pittsburgh Penguins who is one of the NHL's all-time greatest scorers, having now reached 1,400 career points.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The NHL team that routed the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 9-4 on Saturday.

Florida Panthers

The reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions who were seeking to become the first team to win three straight titles since the 1980s Edmonton Oilers.

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What they’re saying

“Evgeni is a true legend of the game and his performance tonight just underscores how special of a player he is. To reach 1,400 points while leading us to such a big win over the champs is incredible.”

— Mike Sullivan, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins

The takeaway

Malkin's historic night not only cemented his status as an all-time NHL great, but it also dealt a major blow to the Panthers' hopes of becoming the first team in decades to win three straight Stanley Cup championships.