The Pittsburgh Penguins are in need of wins. Their recent run of strong play has tapered just slightly, and just enough to be on the wrong side of seven of their last nine games, including three that went beyond regulation.

Pittsburgh Penguins veteran center Evgeni Malkin, 38, who had not missed a game since the 2021-22 season -- a streak of 209 contests -- did not play in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena with an upper-body injury.

Unavailable Thursday

The Pittsburgh Penguins lineup got a little jolt Tuesday when coach Mike Sullivan decided to re-insert Jesse Puljujarvi onto the third line, but it got a major jolt when Evgeni Malkin was not on the ice for warmups.

Second-line center Evgeni Malkin did not appear during warm ... In his place, Cody Glass will center the second line, and Anthony Beauvillier has been put in the lineup in Malkin's place: Malkin ...

Malkin (upper body) will be a game-time decision for Thursday's clash with Edmonton, Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports. Malkin has missed just one game so far due to his upper-body injury and could be ready to retake his spot on the Pens' second line Thursday.

Acquired for a fourth-round pick in a late-November trade with Nashville, Tomasino has since posted four goals and seven points in 16 games with the Penguins — the highest scoring pace of his career.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin participated in his team’s practice session Wednesday in Cranberry. One day earlier, he was scratched because of an undisclosed injury for a 4-3 home shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Cody Glass doesn’t stress out when, abruptly, the Pittsburgh Penguins task him with switching positions. Changes to deployment and skating with different wingers is part of everyday life in the NHL, which Glass accepts and has already navigated through during his first campaign in a Penguins sweater.

Evgeni Malkin is day to day with an upper-body injury and did not play in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.

PITTSBURGH -- Penguins center Evgeni Malkin missed Tuesday's 4-3 shootout ... Veteran forward Anthony Beauvillier drew into the Pittsburgh lineup for coach Mike Sullivan, replacing Malkin.