GTOPG: Gutless AND arrogant Pens get home ice; Win 5-2

By Finesse (follow me on Twitter)

As we mop up the last of John Tortorella's tears, here's a few additional thoughts on the game.  If you want more on Whine-Gate, scroll down to the next post or click here.

- Can't blame the Rangers for not really trying in this game.  They went all out for 80 games to get the #1 seed.  They're allowed to coast for a night.  They're a formidable playoff opponent, to say the least.  A Caps-Rangers opening round is must-see-TV.

- Having said that, the Rangers are toast if anything happens to Lundqvist.  Marty Biron doesn't create fear in his opponents.  He creates confidence.

If this didn't go in, it was probably a lucky save.

- Speaking of French Toast, he followed his coach's lead and went on a tirade against Brooks Orpik, calling his knee-on-knee hit against Stepan "gutless and dirty."  He then continued, per Dave Molinari's hall-of-fame recap, "That guy is known for sticking his knee out and his elbow out. I don't really care what he says in defense of what he did. It was dirty. It's what he's done all his career. He's going to continue to do that unless somebody gets him either with a suspension or whatever."

The "or whatever" part of that quote is intriguing.  Either he is referring to on-ice vengeance against Orpik (which obviously would be a special exemption from his coach's lament, "Just no respect amongst players. None. It's sickening.") OR he had to stop his sentence because he got distracted by being scored on again.

- But having said all that, the Pens are toast if anything happens to Fleury.

- Sorry, can't move past the whining thing yet.  Does anyone whine more than John Tortorella?  Anyone?  Ever?  In the history of the world?  We're on the record as saying he's a really good coach and that the Pens have reason to fear the Rangers on the ice.  But Torts whining about whining is like an asparagus telling you that your pee smells.

Good coach. World-class complainer.

A few more thoughts after the jump...


- With the #4 seed locked up, the Pens have to be considering resting a few players for Saturday's finale against the Flyers.  It won't happen, but I'd like to see Sid take the day off.  The one guy who definitely should sit, though it's also unlikely to happen, is Kris Letang.  He plays close to 30 minutes a night and will have as big of a target as anyone on his back all playoffs.  Plus, he can get a little out of control on the ice.  No need to take that unnecessary risk.

- Can you be gutless and arrogant at the same time?

- If Brooks Oprik gets suspended, ok.  But it hardly impugns the entire organization.  Mike Rupp's knee on Jordan Staal earlier this year was equally bad, actually caused injury, and was significantly more avoidable than the Orpik hit.  (Pensblog has the .gif). THERE'S JUST NO RESPECT AMONG PLAYERS. NONE. IT'S SICKENING.

- The next 10 days - 2 months are going to be as emotional as it gets.  The Propaganda War against the Pens has begun.  It moves to the ice in less than a week.  Go Pens.