PITTSBURGH (AP) – The number of hits the Washington Capitals have tried to level on the Pittsburgh Penguins through two contentious games in the Eastern Conference semifinals is not a surprise.
The nature of those hits? Well, that’s another matter.
Tom Wilson’s run-in with Conor Sheary’s knee in Game 1 cost the Washington forward a couple grand in fines. Brooks Orpik’s elbow to Olli Maatta’s chin early in Game 2 ended with Maatta skating woozily off the ice, the young defenseman’s status for the rest of the best-of-seven series uncertain and Orpik out three games after being suspended by the NHL on Sunday night.
And to think there’s at least nine more periods – and almost certainly more – to come with things even at 1 heading into Monday night’s Game 3 in Pittsburgh.
“That’s what they want to do,” Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang said. “They want to wear us down by being physical.”