Can Malzahar sacrifice a Sprite during the beginning phase before it dies to itself, keeping the runes floating for the rest of the turn?

Ruling: No, Malzahar cannot sacrifice a Sprite during the beginning phase to keep runes floating for the turn.

Sequence:

• Malzahar's ability is action speed, so it cannot be used during the beginning phase
• Rune pools are emptied at the end of draw phase anyway

Nuances:

• Even if the sacrifice could occur during beginning phase, the runes would not persist beyond the draw phase