Ryan Wilson: WB/S Crosbys Defeat Maple Leafs 3-1 + Bortuzzo Escapes Suspension Shorthanded Penguins defeat Maple Leafs 3-1, Bortuzzo will not be suspended.

Sill is making this week a little easier for me.

12/19/13

That was a really good game, I enjoyed it a lot. Hope D'Amigo's alright, I really like him a lot. It was a clean hit, though.

Sill is making this week a little easier for me.

12/19/13
- nbartley9

Is Sill the guy who got in the second fight? He was getting pummelled early on, but came back strong in the second half. Still lost on points, but made a valiant effort.

Despres, Bortuzzo, Doumolin, Poilliott, Harrington, Michellsson, Samuelsson are the Pens future D, complimented by Letang and Niskanen

Despres, Bortuzzo, Doumolin, Poilliott, Harrington, Michellsson, Samuelsson are the Pens future D, complimented by Letang and Niskanen
- allaboutpens

Which 3 are the healthy scratches?

Is Sill the guy who got in the second fight? He was getting pummelled early on, but came back strong in the second half. Still lost on points, but made a valiant effort.
- jmatchett383

Yep that's him, "he is a feisty little one".

(anyone who gets that quote is as big of a dork as I am)

Is Sill the guy who got in the second fight? He was getting pummelled early on, but came back strong in the second half. Still lost on points, but made a valiant effort.
- jmatchett383

Hockey fights had him winning by like 70 %. I realize that is people voting and not really their take but I would say a good amount of people felt Sill won and the same percentage of people felt Bortuzzo won. My computer was glitching while watching the fights so I can't say about the second fight but the Pens easily won the first scrap.

Is Sill the guy who got in the second fight? He was getting pummelled early on, but came back strong in the second half. Still lost on points, but made a valiant effort.
- jmatchett383

Sill didn't lose that fight.

I agree with the decision not to discipline Bortuzzo as it was an unfortunate situation, but I have a problem with the term "unavoidable head contact", just seems like a dangerous loophole. I think they should give him a game just to send the message that ANY head contact is not permitted. I don't know, just a tough call either way. Shanaban doesn't have an easy job.

Sill is making this week a little easier for me.

12/19/13
- nbartley9

Sill and Vitale out Cooked Matt last night, they were hitting everything.

Sill didn't lose that fight.
- canadianpenfan

I thought he won hands down. I'm not even giving him points for the 5 inch height difference.

Is Sill the guy who got in the second fight? He was getting pummelled early on, but came back strong in the second half. Still lost on points, but made a valiant effort.
- jmatchett383

One of the WBS beat writers/bloggers (forget who) on Twitter a while back said that Sill is a southpaw, but usually starts out his fights right handed to suck the other guy in, then switches up to power lefts when he gets a chance. That looked exactly like what he did to Bodie.

Once that word gets around, he might not have the success he's having, but even at the AHL level, he still wins more than he loses.

Sill and Vitale out Cooked Matt last night, they were hitting everything.
- canadianpenfan

I was disappointed in Sill the first 2 or 3 games. Since then I have started to like his game a lot. I thought that our team speed was terrific last night. Toronto usually outskates us by a wide margin.

About D'Amico getting let back in the game so quickly, I wonder if he just got the wind knocked out of him. Now days when we see a guy laying facedown for a minute, we just assume it was a headshot and he's knocked out of dazed, but he might have just got the wind knocked out of him and couldn't move.

I thought he won hands down. I'm not even giving him points for the 5 inch height difference.
- dbell646

After that fight and the one he lost to Borts earlier i was just thinking to myself, man this Brodie should probably stop fighting. He got in one good shot in both fights and took lots more. Looked like Bortuzzo let up and let him get back to his feet only to get clocked, then he continued thrashing him.

I don't use the point system, i use the blood gushing from opponents face system.

About D'Amico getting let back in the game so quickly, I wonder if he just got the wind knocked out of him. Now days when we see a guy laying facedown for a minute, we just assume it was a headshot and he's knocked out of dazed, but he might have just got the wind knocked out of him and couldn't move.
- rival22

That's what I said last night, no way he's back that fast if he has to go through the protocol. He probably wished he was in the dark room instead of taking that next shift.

I was ok with the penalty to Bortuzzo. Not suspendable though. D'Amigo needs to get out of the way. Players are in that position so many times a game. There just isnt a huge hit most of the time because guys have the sense to pull up, spin out, avoid it.

Yep that's him, "he is a feisty little one".

(anyone who gets that quote is as big of a dork as I am)
- nbartley9

Will he soon learn some respect? Perhaps on a sail barge?

I agree with the decision not to discipline Bortuzzo as it was an unfortunate situation, but I have a problem with the term "unavoidable head contact", just seems like a dangerous loophole. I think they should give him a game just to send the message that ANY head contact is not permitted. I don't know, just a tough call either way. Shanaban doesn't have an easy job.
- canadianpenfan

Like I said last night, I don't know how you account for a guy being a foot smaller than the other guy. If the guy was taller Bortuzzo's shoulder hits him in the chest. If, as Gunner says, the onus will be placed entirely on the "hitter", the popularity of this sport will plummet.

To me that was a "hockey play" where the guy was trying to chip the puck around Bortz and leave him flat footed while he goes in on a great chance. How's Bortuzzo supposed to gauge how hard to hit him to prevent that? If he just brushes him, that might not be enough.

Will he soon learn some respect? Perhaps on a sail barge?
- BulliesPhan87

Sill threw Troy Bodie into the Sarlacc Pit! Urrrp!

Hockey fights had him winning by like 70 %. I realize that is people voting and not really their take but I would say a good amount of people felt Sill won and the same percentage of people felt Bortuzzo won. My computer was glitching while watching the fights so I can't say about the second fight but the Pens easily won the first scrap.
- blizzzard

I didn't see the first one. My wife said Bortuzzo won it though. The second one, Sill was getting tagged early (but not a lot landing) but came back strong. He ended up with the takedown in the end (I think) but was in a bad spot for a while.

Was very impressed with the Pens last night, especially the D.

Prior to last night my list of untouchable Penguins would have been the following: Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Letang, and Maatta. Now, I'd add Despres to that list as well. The guy was just steady all game long & looks like the kind of player we all were expecting at the start of the year.

Also, I loved the Pens bigger look on D last night. Bortuzzo, Dumoulin, & Despres are all 6'4." Wouldn't mind seeing more size on the Pens D in the coming years at all.

Like I said last night, I don't know how you account for a guy being a foot smaller than the other guy. If the guy was taller Bortuzzo's shoulder hits him in the chest. If, as Gunner says, the onus will be placed entirely on the "hitter", the popularity of this sport will plummet.

To me that was a "hockey play" where the guy was trying to chip the puck around Bortz and leave him flat footed while he goes in on a great chance. How's Bortuzzo supposed to gauge how hard to hit him to prevent that? If he just brushes him, that might not be enough.
- madmike71

Like I said, it's not the hit I have a problem with, it's the description. "unavoidable head contact" doesn't sound right to me. Why not just say it was deemed a legal hit or something?

Will he soon learn some respect? Perhaps on a sail barge?
- BulliesPhan87

Beautiful