PensBurgh - For Pittsburgh Penguins Fans

Matt Cooke escapes suspension for hit on Marc Savard

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 10, 2010 2:04 PM EST in News Comment 48 comments

Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Cooke (24) plays against the Boston Bruins in the third period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 7, 2010. The Penguins won 2-1. Cooke injured Boston Bruins' Marc Savard on a blindside hit in the third period. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

3 days ago: Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Cooke (24) plays against the Boston Bruins in the third period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 7, 2010. The Penguins won 2-1. Cooke injured Boston Bruins' Marc Savard on a blindside hit in the third period. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

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Earlier in the day, TSN's Bob McKenzie - arguably the most level-headed and well-connected ‘person in the know' -- hinted on his Twitter account not to be surprised if Matt Cooke was NOT suspended for his concussion-causing hit on Boston's Marc Savard. McKenzie, a very outspoken opponent of headshots, said that the hit wasn't "illegal" by the current rules and since Mike Richards escaped suspension earlier in the season on a similar type of hit, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cooke slide through as well.

Turns out that will be the case, as after a 12:30 conference call with NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell, it's been reported that Cooke will not be punished. However the legality of this type of hit is likely to change very soon.

NHL General Managers were scheduled to meet this week anyways to talk about rules changes, and with head safety/concussions already a priority, the Cooke/Savard incident put it right in the fore-front. The GM's passed this wording for a new rule (which still has a couple steps to go before becoming official)

"A lateral, back pressure or blindside hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and or the principal point of contact is not permitted.

A violation of the above will result in a minor or major penalty and shall be reviewed for possible supplemental discipline."

In a nutshell, this would outlaw what Cooke did to Savard and what Mike Richards did to David Booth, and set offenders up for a potential suspension. It's definitely a step in the right direction for the NHL to define what you can and can't do while on the ice.

That's small consolation though to the Boston Bruins and their fans, considering one of their best forwards is really hurting and doesn't have a high standard of life right now, let alone a timetable to return to the ice. For a team right on the playoff bubble, an absent Savard could tip the scales of their whole season in a negative way, just as Florida losing their leading goal scorer for such a long time hurt their chances for post-season play. And no matter how long you suspend the hitter, that's something the hitee and their team can't get back.

The Penguins play in Boston on March 18th, and barring injury it's likely Cooke will have to deal with thousands of jeering fans and a group of angry players. Of Cooke's three fights this season, two are against New York Rangers, including one on the night that Cooke hit Artem Anisimov. It seems likely on 3/18 that Cooke will have to answer the bell again, and perhaps in whatever small form, it'll be a chance for some small measure of vengeance.

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(re)Welcome JustinM to the Pensburgh family

by FrankD on Mar 10, 2010 11:55 AM EST Comment 18 comments

JustinM browsing through the 1998 sports almanac

You've seen him comment during open threads. You've seen his illustrious work in the fanposts section. Now, from hereon in, you will also see JustinM's work on the front page of Pensburgh.com.

In an effort to keep expanding our game stories and diversify content a bit, Hooks, Lavender, Dunman and myself would like to welcome Justin to the Pensburgh writing staff.

So that makes one manager, two editors and two authors. Not bad for a little site that started up on blogspot three years ago as an experiement of sorts. If each of them checks out the site daily (which they surely do many times over) then that's already four times more traffic than I received on my blogspot site.

Now, if you'd be so kind, use the comments section to bombard Justin with endless praise.

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Disciplinary hearing with NHL VP Colie Campbell at 12:30 pm.

Looks like we'll learn Matt Cooke's fate this afternoon (via TSN's Bob McKenzie)

about 21 hours ago Hooks Orpik 6 comments 0 recs

The "Yankee Bowl" improves odds for Pittsburgh to host 2011 Winter Classic

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 9, 2010 3:19 PM EST in Rumors Comment 21 comments

More photos » Julie Jacobson - AP

New Yankee Stadium will be too occupied with college football to host the Winter Classic. That's gotta improve Pittsburgh's odds of hosting the 2011 WC, right?

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Pittsburgh is in the running to host the 2011 Winter Classic, with the thought being that PNC Park, with it's visually appealing backdrop of the cityscape being the first choice. Another reason why: the NHL has to setup and perfect the ice on the impromptu rink -- a process that can take weeks. The Pittsburgh Steelers season didn't end until January 3rd last season, and there's the possibility of playoffs too. The Pirates never need the fieldd anytime after September, and that's a lock!

Another heavily rumored site for the NHL's Winter Classic has been spanking new Yankee Stadium. They're hosting boxing matches there and with decent success at Chicago's Wrigley Field and Boston's Fenway Park, it's only natural the NHL would look to complete the trifecta of baseball stadiums with the obligatory stop in the Bronx.

Not so fast my friend.

The new college football bowl game to be held at Yankee Stadium starting in 2010 will be called the Pinstripe Bowl, with New Era as the title sponsor.
Last September, the Yankees announced the bowl game that will feature teams from the Big East and Big 12 conferences. The leagues have a four-year agreement in place, as does New Era.

A quick scan of the Yankees website says the game is expected to be played "sometime in between Christmas Day [Dec 25th] and New Years", which would leave only hours for a turnaround to a January 1st hockey game. That just doesn't seem very likely, even for the NHL's awesome ice crew, to be able to make a quality and safe sheet of ice even under the most ideal of circumstances. Which in winter, in New York, you might not have in the first place.

So call it a hunch, but for as long as Yankee Stadium has a bowl game (at least four years), they will not be able to host the Winter Classic.

There are still a ton of other sites with interest in the WC, including probably several other spots in the Greater NY/NJ area that could pull the event off, but with one marquee venue out of the running, the odds have to get a little bit better for the Pittsburgh Penguins to host hockey's biggest regular season game.

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Max Talbot's latest blog: On Alex Ponikarovsky and Jordan Leopold, the trade deadline and the Olympics

by FrankD on Mar 9, 2010 1:00 PM EST Comment 4 comments

More photos » Gene J. Puskar - AP

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For the second time this week I was fortunate enough to have received an e-mail from our residential translator Becky. Only this time, rather than providing a Marc-Andre Fleury blog (she did that last week, FYI), it was a fresh, new Max Talbot installment. Say what you will about his season so far, but the guy certainly writes like he still has a lot of fight in him. As always, many thanks to Becky for her efforts in providing an accurate translation. Far be it from me to even attempt such an endeavor. I failed Spanish two years in a row in high school. I need all the help I can get.

See what Max has to say about the Penguins' newest acquisitions, the league's trade deadline and Sid's game-winner in the Olympic gold medal game.

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Closing in on career highs

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 9, 2010 9:38 AM EST Comment 6 comments

More photos » Kathy Kmonicek - AP

Jordan Staal (seen with brother Marc on the left) is one of several Penguins within striking distance of personal highs this season, statistically.

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Hockey is the ultimate team sport, but it doesn't mean from time to time we can't look at how the individuals that make up the team are playing. With 16 games left in the regular season, here's a look a guys closing in on personal bests within their reach.

Sidney Crosby: 44 goals in 2009-10 (eclipses previous best of 39 in 2005-06)
Jordan Staal: 26 assists (career high is 27 in 2008-09)
Staal: 44 points (career high is 49 in 2008-09)
Alex Goligoski: already has set NHL career high in goals (7), assists (22) and points (29)
Pascal Dupuis: 16 goals (career high is 20 back in 2002-03)
Kris Letang: 22 assists (career high is 23, 2008-09)
Matt Cooke: 12 goals (career high is 15 back in 2002-03)
Brooks Orpik: has already set NHL career high in assists (18), is tied with his career high in points (19)
Mike Rupp: has already doubled his best NHL season in goals (12) and new career high in points (17)
Mark Eaton: tied his career high in assists (10) and points (13)

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Bill Guerin back at practice

Billy G returned to practice today to test out his back, an issue (note: I won't say "injury" just yet) that has kept him out of the past few games. It may be safe to assume he'll be ready for action Thursday against the Canes.

2 days ago FrankD 5 comments 0 recs

Matt Cooke hit on Marc Savard: Over the line?

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 8, 2010 6:00 AM EST in News Comment 191 comments

A team trainer, right, checks on Boston Bruins' Marc Savard as he lies on the ice after a hit in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 7, 2010. Savard was taken from the ice on a stretcher. The Penguins won 2-1. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

More photos » Keith Srakocic - AP

3 days ago: A team trainer, right, checks on Boston Bruins' Marc Savard as he lies on the ice after a hit in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 7, 2010. Savard was taken from the ice on a stretcher. The Penguins won 2-1. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

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Matt Cooke walks a fine line: his job is to hit, to provide grit and to make it tough on the opponents. Hockey players are ingrained to "finish your check" from the time you start playing, and Cooke did what he's been taught to do and what keeps him employed; he finished his check.

Unfortunately, this time, Cooke's hit to Marc Savard knocked the Boston player out momentarily and gave him a concussion. No one ever likes to see a player hurt and knocked out, but is this a suspendable crime or just a hockey play gone bad?

After the jump, the video, and why the NHL needs to step up and define if a dangerous and high-probability injury play is just an unfortunate occasional byproduct of playing a fast and brutally physical game, or if such hits that end up to the head (whether intended or not) have a place in the game.

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