Malkin was playing for the first time after serving a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in a 5-1 loss on March 5.
Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists, and Bryan Rust, Elmer Soderblom, and Noel Acciari each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (34-18-15), who have won two straight and are 2-1-1 through the first four of a five-game road trip. Arturs Silovs made 25 saves.
Nathan MacKinnon and Brent Burns each scored for the Avalanche (44-13-9), who have lost two straight and three of their past four (1-3-0). Scott Wedgewood allowed three goals on five shots before being replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood at 13 minutes of the first period. Blackwood made 12 saves in relief.
Malkin gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead at 3:01 of the first period when he took a pass from Rust in the left circle, turned up the ice, and sent a backhand short side past Wedgewood’s blocker. The play came just 13 seconds after Malkin exited the penalty box following a tripping penalty.
MacKinnon tied it 1-1 at 4:08 with a wrist shot from inside the high slot that went top shelf far side. Martin Necas took the puck below the right dot before cutting back up the ice and feeding MacKinnon a backhand pass on the play.
Anthony Mantha scored 15 seconds later on the breakaway to put the Penguins back ahead 2-1 at 4:23. Karlsson sprung him with a pass from below his own red line all the way to the far blue line, and Mantha went forehand-backhand before finishing five-hole.
Malkin scored again at 13:00 to make it 3-1. Egor Chinakhov fed him all alone in the slot, and Malkin deked before sending a wrister short side over the leg. Blackwood then replaced Wedgewood.
Soderblom extended it to 4-1 at 13:43 on the rebound of Connor Dewar’s redirection at the left side of the crease. The puck went off the right leg of Blackwood directly to Soderblom for the snap shot into the open net.
Burns cut it to 4-2 at 14:21 after his point shot caromed off the stick of Mantha in the slot and went short side past the glove.
Karlsson pushed it to 5-2 at 10:36 of the second period when his point shot from inside the blue line ricocheted off Sam Malinski’s glove five-hole.
Rust’s power-play goal made it 6-2 at 16:20 on the breakaway. Malkin fed him in stride at the far blue line and he beat Blackwood five-hole from the right circle.
Acciari made it to 7-2 at 9:06 of the third period after Soderblom’s backhand pass redirected off his skate at the left post.
Malkin has 2 goals, assist in return, Penguins cruise past Avalanche
