Malone went after Emelin for a check Emelin threw when Malone did not have the puck. Emelin did not fight back as Malone pounded.

"It's not old-school hockey, it's pretty much hockey," Malone said. "If they feel they can take a cheap shot at someone and then not stand up for themselves, that's the way they play. I think I always played fair where if I take a cheap shot at someone, you have to kind of pay your dues."

Told Emelin does not fight because his face was caved in during a 2009 fight in Russia's KHL against former Lightning Alex Svitov and had to be reconstructed, Malone said, "Then he shouldn't do that."