Coach Mike Sullivan ruled Maatta out for at least Game 3 but didn’t close the door on Maatta possibly returning at some point.
Advertisement
Orlov said he spoke about the mistakes with Trotz after Game 2, when his misplay led to a goal by defenseman Ben Lovejoy midway through the second period.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since his hit on Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta garnered a three-game suspension, Brooks Orpik didn’t make any excuses, essentially saying he agreed with the NHL’s decision. Somehow Orpik only found himself picking up a minor penalty.
Orpik did not play in the remaining three games of that series but returned in time for Game 1 last Thursday. This hit made it so that Maata would end up sitting the rest of the game.
So nothing less should have been expected Saturday night when Maatta’s departure left the Penguins with only five defensemen. There is no official status yet on Maatta as he is still being evaluated. In Saturday night’s game two, Fehr was able to help the Penguins win the game.
They were a team that seemed like they could go off the rails in the face of adversity, whether that meant bad luck or being punished physically or not having success on the power play. Taking some pressure off guys like Crosby, Kessel, and Malkin to score really helps those guys and the team.
Malkin, on the right side of the goal along the boards in the Penguins zone, stole the puck from Alex Ovechkin, stick-handled to maintain possession and wound up with the puck on the other side of the ice.
The NHL should consider using five officials for every game, if not in the regular season, then in the playoffs. But the second unit has chipped in as well with Tomas Hertl tying the game early in the third. Whether he looks to pass it more, or looks to try to break through that defense and look for more chances at the net. The Flyers’ Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was nicked just one game for his check from behind on Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov.
“We have a lot of good players that can go in and play”, Johansson said. He’s clearly an important part of this Capitals team.
In announcing the suspension, National Hockey League director of player safety Patrick Burke said the hit was “forceful, unacceptably high and excessively late”. Now we definitely have a better idea. Seabrook had a clean record as far as suspensions, but was still hit with a three-gamer for the reckless, targeted hit. “He’s trying to play through people, in terms of [playing] hard”.
Washington will also be looking to get some production from some of their top players that haven’t been heard from yet this series. “But they have guys who can fill in there”.
Advertisement
The Islanders realize they’ll need a better effort coming home after dropping Game 2 4-1.
