During the 2011–12 Pittsburgh Penguins season, this Russian professional ice hockey center contributed a high goal tally despite his surgery has what jersey number?
2011–12 Pittsburgh Penguins season The 2011–12 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise’s 45th season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Penguins, led by head coach Dan Bylsma, would start the season without captain center Sidney Crosby. The team still managed a 51–25–6 record, an East-best 29 home wins, and their 108 points second-best in the Eastern Conference. In February, the team began the league's longest season winning streak and also saw the return of Crosby after missing more than 40 games with concussion like symptoms, before they saw the streak end in March at 11 games. Center Evgeni Malkin was able to play in 75 games despite difficulties associated with recent knee surgery and recorded his greatest goal tally in a season (50) on the way to winning his second Art Ross Trophy. Marc-Andre Fleury tied a franchise record for goalie wins (226) in a victory against the Atlantic division winning-New York Rangers. The four-seed Penguins would see their playoff run end to the same team which halted their regular season winning streak, the Philadelphia Flyers, losing the first three games before perishing in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
2009 Stanley Cup Finals The 2009 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2008–09 season, and the culmination of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings. It was Detroit's 24th appearance in the Final and Pittsburgh's fourth appearance in the Final. This was a rematch of the 2008 Final where Detroit had defeated Pittsburgh in six games. This time, Pittsburgh defeated Detroit four games to three to win their third Stanley Cup in franchise history. Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin would win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 playoffs, becoming the first Russian-born player to win the trophy.