"Evgeni Malkin did not score a milestone goal Saturday night, the way Simon Despres did.

And he didn't reach a major statistical plateau, the way Marc-Andre Fleury did.

Which might be the only things he didn't manage during the Penguins' 8-3 victory against Buffalo at Consol Energy Center.

Malkin scored three goals -- his seventh career hat trick -- and set up two others which, all things considered, really isn't a bad evening's work.

"My first shot, I scored," Malkin said. "Second shot, I score again. It's a lucky day for me.""