Maata was injured after a strike to the head from Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik moments after Game 2 of their second round series started Saturday.
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The NHL suspended Orpik three games for what director of player safety Patrick Burke described the hit as “forceful, unacceptably high and excessively late”.
The most exciting series of the second round so far heads to Pittsburgh on Monday, as the Penguins host the Washington Capitals in Game 3. Maatta isn’t expected to play in Game 3, and either Justin Schultz or Derrick Pouliot could replace him in the lineup.
Trotz also dismissed any notion that Orpik is a predator.
“That’s more than we can say about players that pretend it wasn’t done on objective or [they] really didn’t mean it. Yet it’s pretty obvious when you look at it. [Thornton] did cross the line and some others did too”. Looking at the previous series, I think Maatta might have been hurt in sorta the same way.
He did leave the door open for them playing in those games, however, saying both could rejoin the team if they felt good enough to play.
“It was a bad hit”, Orpik said Monday. “It’s one of the most arrogant organizations in the League”.
Although the Capitals have tried to exploit the Penguin defense with a physical game, the Pens have not been sucked into those kinds of battles.
“We’ve just got to make it a little harder and slow them”, captain John Tavares said.
There wasn’t much arguing.
You have to cover a lot of hockey before ever seeing a player accept his punishment in the classy manner Brooks Orpik did here Monday afternoon.
“I don’t know if a playoff series should matter (when determining length)”, said Penguins defenceman Trevor Daley. Washington goaltender Braden Holtby had just turned away a shot from Maatta when Orpik caught the 21-year-old right on the chin long after the puck was gone. “I just think overall with this group, I’ve seen the maturity”.
Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has one assist in his last seven games against the Penguins, including playoffs, and two points in his last five in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh began that stretch with a 6-2 rout March 20 that ended a three-game home losing streak against the Capitals.
“Now you have a better feel for maybe who can play against who, what teams do”, Cooper said. If the Pens power play was better, Game 2 could have been blown open, the adjustments that they make will be interesting as well.
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“I’m not sure if the league’s trying to send a message”, Sullivan said. Coach Lindy Ruff yanked Kari Lehtonen after the Blues’ three-goal first period in Game 2, and Antti Niemi finished strong, stopping 19 consecutive shots before Backes got the victor in overtime. “But they have guys who can fill in there”. “We made it an easy game for him”.
