After asking where the bitterness was in the Penguins-Hurricanes series, it took us all of one game to potentially find some. Late in the third period of Pittsburgh's 3-2 win on Monday night, Penguins forward Matt Cooke and Hurricanes forward Erik Cole were involved in a knee-on-knee collision that resulted in Cole leaving the game and not returning. The Hurricanes, as one would expect, weren't all that happy with the play. On Wednesday, the NHL announced there will be no punishment for Cooke in the form of a suspension, while Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports there is no word yet on whether or not he will be issued a fine.
Frankly, the only option for the NHL here was to not suspend Cooke. Suspending Cooke, a third-line role player with a sketchy reputation around the league, would have illustrated quite the double-standard after Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin -- one of the best players in the league -- received no additional punishment following his knee-on-knee collision with Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar in the second round. After the Ovechkin-Gonchar incident Cooke was actually quoted as saying, "If I did what he did, I wouldn't be on the ice."
Ovechkin was issued a two-minute minor for tripping, while Cooke received no penalty.
Cole's status for Game 2 is not yet known, while Tuomo Ruutu is also questionable after suffering a leg injury in the same game.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-20-2009 @ 10:54PM
claytor said...
Lmao, where are all those crybaby Pens bloggers now?
-tumbleweeds-
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5-21-2009 @ 6:39AM
Sally said...
I am just so sick and tired of hearing about the Penguins, and how they keep getting away with all their dirty antics. I live near their farm team, and their players have been involved with bar fights, and police chases, and always get slaps on the wrists............and for that, I really hate the Penguins....it really seems they have commissioners, and police wrapped around their little scummy fingers. When I go to their games at the arena........I go JUST to root for the other team..........PENGUINS SUCK..........GO HURRICANES......I HOPE YOU SMASH THEIR LITTLE FREAKIN' BEAKS OFF THEIR SKANKY LITTLE FACES..................
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5-21-2009 @ 10:10AM
kerrakaitesmom said...
What about LaRose hitting Savard knee to knee in the last series? What about Ovechkin hitting Gonchar knee to knee in our last series?? When you don't suspend one, then you can't suspend any!!!!!!!
Cooke is right, if he would have done this BEFORE Ovechkin, it would have been a different story!
Sally, you go root for that other team while you pay for your ticket remember that money goes to our farm club and don't forget to buy your nachos!!
GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!
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5-21-2009 @ 12:13PM
runnr1 said...
sounds like Sally threw herself at some baby Pens and got turned down and Clayton is just funny...
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5-21-2009 @ 2:35PM
Lauren said...
Isn't it amazing that the fans of the teams the Pens have beaten so far in the playoffs come out whining when there's a story about one of the players? The writer of the story is right. They couldn't penalize Matt Cooke for doing something that the "star" of the league did in the last series. Fact is, Ovechkin should've been suspended. For being such a good player, he pulls an awful lot of dirty plays and leaves his feet on almost every hit he makes. Maybe a suspension would teach him a lesson. That said, Cooke should've been suspended too. It was a dirty hit, and we all know that (even the Pens fans). But since the league doesn't want everyone to think they have double standards, nothing will happen. Dirty hits will continue until someone gets really really injured, and the league is forced to do something.
GO PENS!!!!!
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