If the National Hockey League was sending a message by levying a three game suspension on Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik for the excessively late and high hit that injured Olli Maatta, the Penguins aren’t weighing in.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins were the better team most of game two, as they fought off a late push by the Capitals and were able to come out with a two to one victory. After a hearing with the NHL’s department of player safety, the punishment was far more severe. “It was late. Obviously no intention to hit him in the head, but that was the result”. It’s not what we’re used to seeing out of National Hockey League players in Orpik’s position, so some amount of dap is expected, but that’s where the credit should stop. He hit Maatta with a raised elbow as the player turned. Maatta was being evaluated Sunday, and coach Mike Sullivan isn’t optimistic Maatta will be in the lineup Monday night, likely elevating Justin Schultz back into the lineup. (Although we don’t know how many warnings he’s received.) Using the unofficial playoff game multiplier, that’s a six-gamer in the regular season. While the Capitals did not make Orpik available to speak to reporters after the game, coach Barry Trotz said he spoke with the defenceman about the hit.
“He’s a pretty good friend so it made the situation a little tougher, ” said Orpik.
“He just finished on a hit”, Trotz said. “There’s a real size difference, and Maata leaned into it a little bit”, he said after Game 2.
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.
That is only because the league so badly missed the mark on the Bellemare suspension, and not because they were too harsh on Orpik because of who the Capitals are playing.
“If we start play like dirty plays, we take bad penalties”, Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin said.
“The suspension? You don’t really know what goes into the conversation they have with him”. He played just 5:52 in that game and has not played since. Orpik missed three games of the first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers after he was concussed on a legal hit from Ryan White on April 18.
The Penguins have been cool under pressure, scoring the winning goal on Saturday with less than five minutes remaining to take the 2-1 series lead. He can muscle bodies out of the front of the net and has learned a lot from former Penguin Brooks Orpik, who he’s partnered with the past two seasons.
“I think that’s what has got us here”, Crosby said.
“We made a point before the series to be hard on the guys, especially the defenseman”, Orpik said.
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“There wasn’t much arguing”, Orpik said. “I’m not there to judge about that”. They led 1-0 going into the third on Saturday night.
