European update: Malkin nets hat trick; Letang officially signs; Jeffrey holding off on return

Friday, 04 January 2013 13:29

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin accounted for all of Metallurg Magnitogork's offense today by recording a hat trick in a 3-0 victory against Traktor Chelyabinsk today in Russia's KHL.

Highlights:

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Malkin's first goal came on the power play and was assisted by Senators defenseman and former Penguin Sergei Gonchar.

Metallurg's next game is scheduled for Sunday against Slovan.

Malkin will have some familiar competition in the KHL as SKA St. Petersburg officially announced its signing of Penguins defenseman Kris Letang.

Letang will be joining a roster which includes current NHLers Ilya Kovalchuk (Devils) and Sergei Bobrovsky (Blue Jackets).

According to the Sarnia (Ont.) Observer, Penguins center Dustin Jeffrey, who has played for KHL Medvescak, a Croatian team competing in Austria's EBEL, has held off returning to Medvescak until this latest round of negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA are resolved. Jeffrey had left the team for a break during the holidays and was initially expected to return to the lineup today.

In 20 games with Medvescak this season, Jeffrey had scored 23 points (11 goals, 13 assists).