The Capitals could turn back to Russian defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who was a healthy scratch in Game 2 after a defensive miscue led to a Penguins goal in Game 1, or to big Mike Weber, a Pittsburgh native they acquired at the trade deadline from the Buffalo Sabres.
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The Penguins steal one game in Washington, and return home to Pittsburgh with the series tied 1-1.
“That’s not him”, Trotz said of Orpik, a former Penguin.
The incident occurred in the first period, just over four minutes into Saturday’s game. “I told him it was a late hit”. “That injury to [Dmitry] Orlov in the previous series [could have been] career-ending”, he said of the hit by Pierre-Edourd Bellemare that earned the Flyers forward a one-game suspension. Direct hits to the head are what the NHL’s department of player safety was built to combat, and they will always receive the most – and most severe – suspensions.
“It was pretty black and white”, Orpik said. “There’s a little size difference, and I think Maatta was leaning over a little bit”.
One of the more likeable and easy-going coaches in the league, Trotz normally is not one to make such strong allegations.
The under cashed in Game 2 for totals bettors for the first time in six meetings, according to the Odds Shark NHL database.
The number of hits the Washington Capitals have tried to level on the Pittsburgh Penguins through two contentious games in the Eastern Conference semifinals is not a surprise.
Given how well Matt Murray has played this spring – he has a 1.74 goals-against average and.939 save percentage while going 4-1 – it seems inconceivable that Fleury would go from not playing since March 31 to starting in the playoffs.
Handicappers at online sports book Bovada.lv list the host Pens as 1.5-goal favorites this evening. I don’t think playoffs really matter.
“We’ll leave that to him and me”, Orpik said. The Penguins have a combined 80 shots on net in the two games and had another 38 blocked. He managed to have just three shots blocked or go wide this season, which is down from the 3.5 last season.
The Capitals have experience playing without Orpik this season.
Coach Mike Sullivan said the suspension doesn’t change a thing for his team. He must register an impression early in tonight’s proceedings, because the tempo won’t relent for 60 minutes – or longer.
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Say what you want about his actions which certainly can not be condoned, at least Orpik proved to be a standup guy by putting himself in front of all the microphones, cameras and notepads on Monday and accepting full responsibility.
