...Well, sorta fought, anyway.
What is the most telling about this is what the announcer says, incredulously, "He just finished his check." Exactly. Though, when you're Matt Cooke, you have to expect to get jumped the second you lace your skates up. Sidney Crosby delivers this check? No one gets that upset. Probably some pushing and shoving but certainly no dog pile jumping. I'm more surprised that Matt Cooke injured someone with a clean check, usually he has to do a douche bag move to hurt somebody. Woo.
Mark Eaton is an absolute stud this post season so far. During the Senators series he repeatedly got between Ottawa's squad of goons and pests whether it be Jarkko Ruutu or Chris Neil when they were going after bigger superstars like Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin. Here he absolutely frustrates Travis Moen by not letting him get to Matt Cooke and then tying him up entirely without letting Moen throw one punch. You've been there. Video game not going your way, sports team losing, stubbed your toe. What are you gonna do? You can't punch anything. Well, I mean if you're a psycho path you can throw ironing boards and chairs or break your controllers...not that I've ever done those things...
Uh, anyway, Eaton stepping up there was absolutely choice. What are the Habs going to do after that? Take a penalty? Pout? Lose? All of the above?
We all knew the frustration was going to come from Jaroslav Halak. The man is playing some lights out goaltending. Everyone wants to talk about how he beat the Washington Capitals because they didn't want to change their strategy. That's probably somewhat true, but the fact remains he shut down Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Mike Green, as well as other solid goal scorers on the Washington Capitals like it didn't even matter for three straight games. That's disgusting. Period.
So we knew there would be frustration. Crosby gets frustrated from the style of play the Habs are playing, big fucking deal. I personally love when Crosby gets frustrated and starts giving people shit. A superstar pest? I'm all for it. Him bumping Mike Cammalleri and then skating away leaving Cammalleri to scream and gnash his teeth has been one of my favorite moments of these young playoffs. But, he's been mad three times, maybe? That deserves its own TSN short, doesn't it?
I guess so. Everyone is already on whatever side they're going to be (Unless of course Crosby is wearing a Team Canada jersey, jokes.) but I'm gonna give my two cents anyway. Sidney Crosby is the first person to break his stick on a goal post right? And what does Jaroslav Halak really even care about Crosby breaking his stick? He's just happy he connected with the goalpost instead of Halak's head.
Ex-Pen Tomas Surovy, getting it done. What a dumb ass. So, really, this isn't without precedent. It's just that, like everything else, Crosby is better at it than most people. Surovy? Swing and a miss. Crosby? On target. And honestly, is this really a "temper tantrum"? Shoving a guy who's face washing you? I guess every hockey player who has ever played the game from squirt to junior to pro throws temper tantrums then. Cut me a fucking break. The entire city of Montreal RIOTED because Rocket Richard got suspended. THAT'S a temper tantrum...well...no....it's worse than a temper tantrum actually...it's a riot.
Apparently, though, the Montreal Canadiens, and specifically Scott Gomez, aren't up for giving me a break. In Game Three Sidney Crosby takes a stick to the back of the head from Brian Gionta at the end of the second period. Anyone saying the stick wasn't that bad as insane as Crosby's helmet clearly showed a black mark from where the stick connected with his helmet at the start of the third. Beyond that, why don't we ask Donald Brashear how sticks to the head feel.
Good times. Anyhoo, Scott Gomez seems to think Crosby is somehow being a baby in this instance. I'd pay GOOD money to see Gomez try to tell Brashear the same thing. Can't say you don't know how to pick your fights though I suppose, Scottie.
What is Gomez thinking? "You got a stick to the head, I'm gonna give you shit for it?" The team around Crosby stepping up is what I enjoy the most. Malkin grabbing the much smaller Gionta is a thing of beauty: "You gonna pick on our captain for being hurt? I'm gonna pick on a much smaller player myself." Hockey players see everything, don't think Malkin and everyone else on the ice didn't know who's stick hit Crosby. Letang rubbing Gorges, Kunitz laughing at Hamrlik while the refs try to separate them? It's all good.
These are not the Washington Capitals, Scott Gomez. The Penguins are not going to shy away from this shit, nor are they going to let you get away with starting shit with Sidney Crosby like he's Tom fucking Poti. Again, what are you thinking?
Finally, going into Game 4, it's important to look at the depth of the Penguins right now. Jordan Staal is an iron man, we know this, but with Bill Guerin and Mike Rupp both possibly out, the question remains for toughness. Are Chris Conner and Mark Letestu going to play hard? No doubt. Are they big and imposing? Big doubt. Eric Godard has a career +/- rating of -16. His +/- rating against the Montreal Canadiens is +2. A man can dream can't he?
And dream I shall.
