The Goon Quotient

The playoffs bring a harder style of play to the ice: bigger checks, more pushing and shoving after a whistle, and more facewashes than you can shake a sweat soaked glove at. There is very little in terms of a fight drop off, however. In 83 playoff games last season, there were 41 fights. One every 2 games, essentially. During this regular season that just ended there were 1366 fights in 2460 games. A little under 2 games between every fight, 1.8 games, rounding off. Those statistics were grabbed from www.hockeyfights.com. There is no reason to believe that the intensity of the NHL playoffs will cause a lack of fighting in the games. I think the slight discrepancy is due to the length of an 82 game regular season vs. an, at most, 28 game post season. Eric Godard players during the regular season because people are more likely to do something stupid during the regular season. In the post season, people are afraid to do something that might result in a power play when that can change a game and largely a series. One game out of 82, though? Not so big a deal.

That said, there are going to be fights in the post season. Pittsburgh lead playoff teams last season with 7. Maybe that's due to the number of games they played, maybe it's just due to the fact that they're badasses. Personally, I lean towards the latter but one never does know. Anyway, I figured either way we should be checking out the pests and goons of the Ottawa Senators and how they match up against the Penguins:

Jarkko Ruutu


[AP]

Allow me a moment to compose myself. This is troubling for me. Jarkko Ruutu used to wear the black and gold, as I'm sure you all are aware. I also own a Ruutu Penguins jersey. As a fan who loves pests and goons, the schadenfreude Jarkko Ruutu takes in a lot of his fights, laughing like a crazy person while he punches someone in the faces or trips someone like this:



Classic! When he does those things, it's just so god damn hard to hate him. It's probably why I liked him before he was on the Penguins and continue to now. It comes as no surprise that the SportsArgumentWiki calls Ruutu "the heartbreak kid."



Terrible. But, I know the first time Ruutu pulls something on the Penguins, none of that is going to matter. It will be pure hate going forth, frothing at the mouth for Rupp or Kunitz or Orpik or ANYONE to light him up. It's been a long time (the beginning of last season when the Penguins opened overseas) since this happened, but this makes my blood boil a little bit already.



He doesn't fight often, but he's still going to be a jerk and get under someone's skin. Ruutu does know how to through them, however, when he needs to. This is something he seems to have over our pest, Mattie Cooke. Coincidentally, in that same video is the other public enemy of the Ottawa Senators...

Chris Neil


[AP]

What a fucking toolbox.

I don't think anyone doesn't know how I feel about Chris Neil. However, in the case you don't, here's a nice taste: http://www.thegoonblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/chris-douche-bag-neil.html. I suppose that Chris Neil is incredibly good at his job, though, judging by how angry I am at him after every time the Penguins have faced off against him and the Senators. However, most like than not, Eric Godard will not be in the lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins. That, sadly, means we probably won't see this face on Neil's face:



I never get tired of that picture. If I could have it on a t-shirt, I'd wear it for every game.

With Godard more than likely out of the lineup, that leaves Mike Rupp (who himself might be out of the lineup), and guys like Bill Guerin and Craig Adams left to keep Chris Neil in check. Rupp has thrown 'em with Neil before this season.



I'd call this one a draw if you're not counting Neil's punches after the linesmen step in. Again, what a fucking toolbox. Regardless of the outcome of the fight, getting Neil off the ice to keep him from getting after Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin may be just as key as how well Crosby or Malkin matches up against Anton Volchenkov because I've got two words for you otherwise:


Adam. Graves.

Matt Carkner


[Getty Images]

Carkner doesn't seem to me to be the dick that Ruutu and Neil are, but he is most definitely the clean up crew for the Ottawa Senators. Carkner has cracked the NHL finally and found a niche as the enforcer for the Senators while playing some decent defense for them as well. At 6'4", 231 lbs, Carkner leads the Sens with 24 fights (Mike Rupp has half as many as the Pens leader with 12). Carkner will step up for Neil or Ruutu when Rupp or Guerin or whomever tries to get after them. More than likely, Rupp will have to go after Neil when Carkner isn't on the ice, or the fight simply isn't going to happen. Every punch or check will hurt a little bit more from Carkner in my opinon as he used to be part of Pittsburgh's organization, spending the entirety 06-07 season at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Aren't we missing a big fuck off defensemen now a days? However, just because Carkner fights a lot, doesn't mean he knows HOW to fight.



Ouch.

However, despite this, from the pure position of who's willing to drop the gloves on the team, the Penguins take it. 12 different Penguins have dropped the gloves for the team this season compared to Ottawa's nine. The Penguins also have players who have dropped the gloves in the past that haven't thus far this season including Brooks Orpik and Max Talbot. From a standpoint of being pests and enforcing, I have no doubt that the Penguins can match the Senators fist for fist, facewash for facewash.

Come get a taste.