Malkin still keen to go to Olympics

MOSCOW >> Evgeni Malkin wants to go to the Olympics next February and he hopes the Pittsburgh Penguins will allow him to do it.

Malkin told Russian sports daily Sovetsky Sport he was surprised by the NHL’s announcement Monday that it wouldn’t halt its season for players to go to South Korea.

“There’s nothing good about this at all. We’re going to think, make calls, get advice, talk with other hockey guys,” Malkin said. “However many interviews I read with other players, no one gets this decision. How can the NHL not let us have this? ... Until the last minute I believed that good sense would prevail. I didn’t want to waste words. I thought the NHL would still go to the Olympics.”

If Malkin is allowed to go the Olympics by Pittsburgh, he could join fellow Russian star Alex Ovechkin and his Capitals teammates Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov, who have said they want to play in South Korea. The league has not indicated how it will handle the wishes of individual players who want to play in the Olympics.

The NHL had participated in the last five Olympics, but decided this time around it wasn’t worth halting its season. It said negotiations with the International Ice Hockey Federation, players’ union and International Olympic Committee had not gone anywhere.

Bruins’ Marchand suspended 2 games for spearing

NEW YORK >> Boston Bruins scoring leader Brad Marchand has been suspended for two games for spearing Tampa Bay defenseman Jake Dotchin. He will lose nearly $110,000 in salary.

The disciplinary action by the NHL will sideline Marchand for the rest of the regular season. The Bruins have clinched a playoff spot and have two games left before the postseason.

Marchand drew a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct at 19:20 of the first period Tuesday night. He lifted his stick into Dotchin’s groin area in front of the Lightning net.