Thornton made it clear he wanted a piece of him. You can't turn your back like that. You have to be aware of who is on the ice. This isn't Orpiks first go round like this. When poop like this happens everyone jumps
I their bleeding heart high horse. Like I said, we can't thank the actions of guys like Orpik when fighting is "removed" from the game and results in insane suspensions.
- Buffalo-Sabres

This (frank)ing garbage where you have to be accountable for a clean hit is one of the major problems in the NHL, actually. If the guy leaves his skates, he HAS to fight Thornton. If he raises his arms, he HAS to fight Thornton. If he hits him on the blind side, he HAS to fight Thornton.

The hit Orpik lays on Erikson is a suicide pass by the defender. Add to that Orpik never leaving the ice or getting his arms up and he absolutely DOES NOT need to fight anyone. If Thornton is that upset, he should be targetting his own defender. Stupid (frank)ing hillbilly mentality that has made its way into the NHL is ridiculous.

Kind of funny reading the comments on this blog. Flyers, Pens, Bruins, Van; all these teams are well respected, and most fans would agree they are in the top percentile of teams the "Refs Help"

A lot of these penalities and thug plays would stop if the Refs would start calling the penalties when they should be called, and hand out fines more.

Chara earlier this year, Rick Nash last year, Morrow in the playoffs last year. Blame the refs or blame the owners, but someone has to change something.

But at the end of the day, the players are just doing it to themselves
- Danformo

Did you see my comments earlier? I agree... The Refs and the NHL need to get their crap together.

The refs definitely do not help the Canucks, far from it. Burrows and Kesler have ruined that by all the diving they did in the past.
- dshiddy

- Rayven

Says the guy who who hides behind Marchy's antics. Priceless.

- Rayven

Haven't seen it much at all this year and I'm their biggest critic when it comes to diving. Kesler did it last year, but has cleaned it up a lot this year.

Marchand dives more.

If the league really wants to set an example give Neal at least 20 and Thornton the season. It won't happen, but that would get the players attention.

This (frank)ing garbage where you have to be accountable for a clean hit is one of the major problems in the NHL, actually. If the guy leaves his skates, he HAS to fight Thornton. If he raises his arms, he HAS to fight Thornton. If he hits him on the blind side, he HAS to fight Thornton.

The hit Orpik lays on Erikson is a suicide pass by the defender. Add to that Orpik never leaving the ice or getting his arms up and he absolutely DOES NOT need to fight anyone. If Thornton is that upset, he should be targetting his own defender. Stupid (frank)ing hillbilly mentality that has made its way into the NHL is ridiculous.
- kev1586

I agree. redneck, hillbilly, macho, call it what you want but there are people who are fairly ignorant who take a low brow view of what should be a gentleman's sport.

Says the guy who who hides behind Marchy's antics. Priceless.
- rugdnit

show me where I've condoned his actions

As a fan of the Western Conference, here is what the penalty should be - Not allow an Eastern Conference team be in the finals, especially if Boston or Pitt make it out of the East.

I agree. redneck, hillbilly, macho, call it what you want but there are people who are fairly ignorant who take a low brow view of what should be a gentleman's sport.
- powerhouse

see Dupius slash that broke Kelly's leg....???

to me, that neal hit was payback from the playoffs when marchand boarded him and only got 2 minutes.

plays like that will never leave a guy's head.

I don't think any of us really know, but its just ironic, he threatened to quit more then once during is playing days, now he has a few guys that pull the same stunts & one he let go that was the biggest culprit, because he came out & said he was through playing that way
- puckhead17

And your true colors come out. You just hate Pittsburgh and cant contain your glee to see the Penguins look bad because one of their players took a cheap shot on another player. Its almost laughable, since your organization is known for its cheap shots. Lemieux did not tolerate Matt Cooke's actions, and he won't tolerate James Neal's either.
I find it funny that your fellow flyers fans still call Crosby a whiner. Why, because he didn't like having his teeth knocked out by Derian Hatcher his rookie year? O that play wasn't dirty because a Flyer hit a Penguin..sorry I misunderstood the code that says all Penguins hits are dirty....
Neal needs suspended. Its a selfish, despicable act. Its the last thing his team needs when they are already basically playing with an AHL squad because of injuries. Too bad Orpik was concussed last night because I'll bet Orpik would get in his face a bit out of the public view for being so stupid/selfish. It doesnt have a place in the game.
Thornton's hit cant be defended on any level. Period.

And your true colors come out. You just hate Pittsburgh and cant contain your glee to see the Penguins look bad because one of their players took a cheap shot on another player. Its almost laughable, since your organization is known for its cheap shots. Lemieux did not tolerate Matt Cooke's actions, and he won't tolerate James Neal's either.
I find it funny that your fellow flyers fans still call Crosby a whiner. Why, because he didn't like having his teeth knocked out by Derian Hatcher his rookie year? O that play wasn't dirty because a Flyer hit a Penguin..sorry I misunderstood the code that says all Penguins hits are dirty....
Neal needs suspended. Its a selfish, despicable act. Its the last thing his team needs when they are already basically playing with an AHL squad because of injuries. Too bad Orpik was concussed last night because I'll bet Orpik would get in his face a bit out of the public view for being so stupid/selfish. It doesnt have a place in the game.
Thornton's hit cant be defended on any level. Period.
- Amanion

I'm about 99.9% in agreement with this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VEz9p8-L3s


and it's funny... lost in all of the oprik, neal, and thornton drama is chara.

if you watch the video, you'll see chara try to take dupuis's head off after the oprik hit on Eriksson.

that there also could have been a dangerous play.

So let me get this straight:

Orpik sees Erickson is defenseless, has a recent history of concussion issues and he runs him.

But it's a clean hit.

So let me get this straight:

Orpik sees Erickson is defenseless, has a recent history of concussion issues and he runs him.

But it's a clean hit.

- Grinder6

yea... do you honestly think oprik was skating towards him saying... I wonder if he has a concussion history?

Eriksson got caught puckwatching. simple as that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VEz9p8-L3s


and it's funny... lost in all of the oprik, neal, and thornton drama is chara.

if you watch the video, you'll see chara try to take dupuis's head off after the oprik hit on Eriksson.

that there also could have been a dangerous play.
- SuperHenderson13

No, what is lost in all of this is how the continues to happen because refs and the league continue to let it happen

@AmalieBenjamin: Shawn Thornton announced as not in the lineup. Gets boos.

see Dupius slash that broke Kelly's leg....???
- Nolanders

first off, he broke his ankle.

second, did you see Kelly slash Dupuis just as hard right back?

give me a break.

No, what is lost in all of this is how the continues to happen because refs and the league continue to let it happen
- Danformo

yep agree with you there.

to me, you need to hit teams and the player.

guy on twitter had the idea that whenever a player gets suspended, that team not only loses him but also his roster spot meaning that a team has to play with only 17 players for the length of his suspension.

thought it was a pretty fair idea.

but to me, not only do you do that, you take it a step further.

for every game players are suspended on a team, that team loses money for the salary cap. meaning that the penguins would lose a certain amount of money on the 64 million salary cap.

hurts the team on the ice, the team off the ice, and the player.

whatever they do, this isn't working

Over react much?

Yeah, lets trade a high scoring winger, which we don't have enough of, for another defensman which we have plenty of...

It's laughable that philly fans come whining here about Neal considering the reputation of many of their players over the years. Just pathetic.
- madmike71

Im not a Phillthy fan. Get your facts straight before you attack someone.

Good blog. Completely agree.

Neal should be out 10+ games. Thuggery. He should be punished beyond whatever games he loses by the team because that is NOT acceptable at all and shows his mindset is way off.

Thornton should be out for the rest of the season and playoffs. If he had instigated a fight immediately after the hit, that's one thing. Its still wrong, but within 'the code', even if it shouldn't be like that. At least Orpik would have been prepared and maybe able to defend himself. Brooks was talking to an official, completely defenseless and facing the other direction, and then he continued to hit him until he was unconscious. That goes way beyond accepting the physicality of the sport and is completely outside the bounds of hockey and should be treated as such.

That moron just created his account yesterday. Just another Philly fan I'm sure. What idiots some of those guys are...
- madmike71

You are right about one thing; I just siged up yesterday. You are wrong about me being a Phillthy fan. I guarantee I know what I'm talking about. So go back to playing hockey on xbox and talking trash behind your pc.

Go Pens!

Hope Orpik will get well soon and be able to make the Olympic roster for team USA.
Does anyone know how long he might be out for? Or not mentioned yet...

Thanks

You are right about one thing; I just siged up yesterday. You are wrong about me being a Phillthy fan. I guarantee I know what I'm talking about. So go back to playing hockey on xbox and talking trash behind your pc.

Go Pens!
- joescullz

You are a Pens fan that decided to sign up for an account yesterday to say they should trade Neal, and you want people to believe that? Please let me know how that would possibly help the Pens?
1) You want trade one of our top offensive talents with absolutely no one in the system to replace him?
2) You want to trade him for D when we have a log jam of Dmen in the NHL and a few more waiting in the AHL?
3) You want to trade him when he has great chemistry, and is a good friend of, one of our superstars? (That worked out REALLY well when the NYI's traded Moulson)
4) You want to trade one of the best PP specialists on the top PP unit? (Again, worked really well for the NYI)

No sir, you do not know what you are talking about.