"Those are special names," Malkin said in the locker room afterward. "They're legends. I want to be top, too. I want to play my top-level game. I feel it right now. I hope I play five, six more years with the Penguins and we'll see. To be with Jagr, Lemieux, Crosby is amazing."
Malkin, 33, achieved the milestone after netting an empty-net goal late in the third period to clinch the win for Pittsburgh. But the how doesn't diminish the how many.
"I don't care how you get it, 400 goals is an awful lot of goals in this league," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "It's a testament to the type of player that he is, and what he's accomplished in the time that he's been here.
"He's been one of the best players of his generation. This is just one more accolade that provides more evidence of how good he is."
Malkin, who is playing in his 14th NHL season, had missed the previous two games due to an illness that kept him bedridden for three days. He was happy to be back on the ice and in the game, but even happier with the result.
"It wasn't my best game, but I don't care. We won an important two points," Malkin said. "I hope I feel better tomorrow. Small step tonight. I felt great before the game, but I knew it would be tough."
