Malkin undergoes right knee surgery

The injury that forced out Evgeni Malkin for 23 games in the regular season and two in the playoffs required the star center to have surgery.

Malkin had successful right knee surgery, the club announced Friday. The team does not have a specific time frame for a return. But the Penguins said they anticipate the injury will prevent Malkin from joining the team in training camp.

Malkin, who will turn 35 in July, initially was injured March 16, when he collided knee-toknee with Boston’s rugged defenseman Jarred Tinordi.

The Penguins center missed more than six weeks before returning for the final four games of the regular season. In the 56th and final game, he didn’t take a shift for the final 8-plus minutes. Coach Mike Sullivan initially called that a precaution, however, Malkin’s participation remained mixed at practice over the next several weeks.

The Penguins were forced to play the first two games of the first-round series against the New York Islanders without their regular second-line center.

“He fought really hard to get back into our lineup,” Sullivan said in his postseason news conference. “He was not 100%. I think I’m probably stating the obvious when I say that.”

Postseason action

Canadiens 1, Jets 0: Carey Price made 30 saves for his eighth career playoff shutout and visiting Montreal beat Winnipeg to take a 2-0 lead in this second- round series. Tyler Toffoli scored a shorthanded goal 1:41 into the second period. Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for Winnipeg.