The 21-year-old Maatta averages about 20 minutes per game and was Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2012.
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Orpik received only a two-minute minor for interference on the play, though the hit seemed more deserving of a major penalty.
The fact three games for that play, with that result, is seen as a severe message sending moment by the league is an indictment of what the department of player safety has become. He said he wouldn’t reveal the content of their discussion, but Orpik said the fact that they were friends made the situation tougher.
Maatta’s status for Monday’s Game 3 is unclear. Although T.J. Oshie’s hat trick propelled the Presidents’ Trophy winners to a 4-3 overtime triumph on Thursday, the Steel City’s finest responded with a 2-1 victory over the weekend to even the series.
“I thought it was a late hit”, Sullivan said. “It’s tough hearing people try to say I was intentionally trying to hit him in the head”. I think it was more that we made a point before the game and before the series to be hard on their guys, and especially their defensemen.
Brooks Orpik has been banned for three games in a blow to the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League play-offs. After returning from a lower-body injury on April 13, Maatta has not had much playing time so far this post-season. He does not target people. “There’s a real size difference, and Maata leaned into it a little bit”, he said after Game 2.
“You can word it how you want”, Crosby said. “It didn’t look good”.
Barry Trotz added that he was disappointed with the three-game suspension, but understands the severity of Orpik’s actions and that he needs to face some kind of repercussion. “He’s not a dirty player”. If the Pens power play was better, Game 2 could have been blown open, the adjustments that they make will be interesting as well.
The Predators finally got on the board at the 12:56 mark of the third period when Mattias Ekholm tied the game at one. Game one of the series the Capitals had a lead going into the final period of play and came out with the win. They put up an awesome display of shot supression as they held the Capitals to just 25 shot attempts through two periods compared to the Penguins’ 63.
The Penguins are familiar with Orpik’s bruising style.
“I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised based on who we’re playing and all that”, Trotz said.
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So, Brooks Orpik, way to be not bad. “I’m not there to judge about that”. I didn’t really know what to expect out of how many games; whatever they gave me was something I was just going to have to accept. The Penguins hope that Fehr can continue to help the team as the series goes on.
