It's stupid, pointless logic on his part trying to justify what happened. If Chara leveled Kunitz with a clean hit, should he be required to fight Tanner Glass? No, it would never happen. Your best defender, on an already injury delpleted team, doesn't need to fight a 4th line role player. If Orpik's hit had been dirty, I'd be all for him answering, but that was a clean hit.
- mw630

This. All of this. Exactly right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5lv_94Y90c

it is what it is....regardless if it is a player in a Pens , Bruins or isles jersey...the actions of Thornton and Neil were pathetic, no different than Trevor Gillies when he played the Pens...real hockey fans look at those actions and call whatever player out that did it...fans that try to put a spin on it are only being homers.....and Orpiks hit was clean...guy did not deserve what Thornton did to him, as much as a clown Marchand is he did not deserve the knee to the head

Neal's kneeing incident was one of the worst ones I've seen, and this is a player who has a history of dirty hits, the fact that he's going to get a max of 5 games makes the whole league look bad. The Thorton incident is on a whole other level. Orpiks hit on Louie was clean, a very hard hit, but clean. I don't want this sport to frown on hits like that, it's terrible that Louie was injured, but you gotta keep your head up. How Thorton responded was despicable, it was the NHL equivalent of the knock out game, and he should be harshly punished.

Thornton made it clear he wanted a piece of him. You can't turn your back like that. You have to be aware of who is on the ice. This isn't Orpiks first go round like this. When poop like this happens everyone jumps
I their bleeding heart high horse. Like I said, we can't thank the actions of guys like Orpik when fighting is "removed" from the game and results in insane suspensions.
- Buffalo-Sabres

Why? When Mcquaid wanted a piece of Kaleta, Kaleta turtled.

Too many Marchands and not enough Bergeron in this league.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5lv_94Y90c
- Danformo

Morrow does not even play here, buzz off.

Morrow does not even play here, buzz off.
- powerhouse

That's not the point... It's very telling of how the Referees and the NHL dole out justice. How does Morrow get away with that? In any jersey? Can you honestly say the refs don't want to hurt the integrity of the game by calling a penalty at an inopportune moment? THAT THERE... IS EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE NHL.

If it's a penalty in the first 5 minutes of the game... It's a penalty in the last 5 minutes of the game. Call ALL penalties... Call them early and call them often.

Once the players know that phukery will not be tolerated... They will shut up and get down to the business of playing a great game.

I've been saying since the Philly series a couple of years ago that Neal is a punk @ss. Pens need to trade him for a true shut-down d-man.

I've been saying since the Philly series a couple of years ago that Neal is a punk @ss. Pens need to trade him for a true shut-down d-man.
- joescullz

You couldn't be more right. The pens definitely need to trade some of their offensive skill players to get more defensemen. With all the talented offensive players in WBS, we can certainly make up for the loss of Neal. Only if there were one or two decent defensemen in the AHL, we'd be in much better shape . . . . .

I've been saying since the Philly series a couple of years ago that Neal is a punk @ss. Pens need to trade him for a true shut-down d-man.
- joescullz

Over react much?

Yeah, lets trade a high scoring winger, which we don't have enough of, for another defensman which we have plenty of...

It's laughable that philly fans come whining here about Neal considering the reputation of many of their players over the years. Just pathetic.

You couldn't be more right. The pens definitely need to trade some of their offensive skill players to get more defensemen. With all the talented offensive players in WBS, we can certainly make up for the loss of Neal. Only if there were one or two decent defensemen in the AHL, we'd be in much better shape . . . . .
- mw630

That moron just created his account yesterday. Just another Philly fan I'm sure. What idiots some of those guys are...

Thing about James Neal is that he's a Lady Byng kind of player against skilled teams. Nary an incident.

When he loses his mind, it's always against thug teams like Boston and Philadelphia, and it's typically vigilante justice. The payback he's extracted is wrong and dirty, but if the refs let guys like Coutourier take liberties with a star like Malkin for an entire series, eventually the skilled guys are going to retaliate.

Marchard was running around making questionable hits all night last night, along with some stickwork that he was penalized for. And he had a dirty boarding penalty against Neal in the playoffs last year. If the league and the refs aren't going to police the game, eventually star players snap.

Thing about James Neal is that he's a Lady Byng kind of player against skilled teams. Nary an incident.

When he loses his mind, it's always against thug teams like Boston and Philadelphia, and it's typically vigilante justice. The payback he's extracted is wrong and dirty, but if the refs let guys like Coutourier take liberties with a star like Malkin for an entire series, eventually the skilled guys are going to retaliate.

Marchard was running around making questionable hits all night last night, along with some stickwork that he was penalized for. And he had a dirty boarding penalty against Neal in the playoffs last year. If the league and the refs aren't going to police the game, eventually star players snap.
- hardnosed

People are acting like Neal does this on a regular basis. He doesn't. Maybe a handful of dirty incidents in his career. He should get suspended, but I'm not getting all worked up over Marchand being the recipient. Marchand is as dirty as it gets. He gives way more than he gets. He flat out punched Maatta in the mouth last night and the ref looked right at it and didn't make the call.

Imagine if it were Matt Cooke on the receiving end of that knee. How many people would be over here saying he got what he deserved......and frankly, I'd agree with them.

Bottom line.... The refs lost control of that game last night....pretty typical for the NHL.

Neal on Marchand is fine, might get 2 games. It's not like Marchand wouldn't have done the same.

Thornton should be gone for the rest of the season plus playoffs.

Neal on Marchand is fine, might get 2 games. It's not like Marchand wouldn't have done the same.

Thornton should be gone for the rest of the season plus playoffs.
- dshiddy

of course it is cause he's a Bruin

of course it is cause he's a Bruin
- Rayven

Bruins are bullies. Chara runs around and protects his players like they are little kids. They play a disgusting game and their coach is a fat (frank). Thornton is a thug and Marchand a puke... Sorry, I'm not a fan of them one bit.

Bruins are bullies. Chara runs around and protects his players like they are little kids. They play a disgusting game and their coach is a fat (frank). Thornton is a thug and Marchand a puke... Sorry, I'm not a fan of them one bit.
- dshiddy

still butthurt over 2011 eh ?

still butthurt over 2011 eh ?
- Rayven

Has nothing to do with it, not one bit.
I respect the hawks and they beat us and are a big rival.

Has nothing to do with it, not one bit.
I respect the hawks and they beat us and are a big rival.
- dshiddy

It really seems like it has a lot to do with it, I hate them and completely disagree with that assessment

It really seems like it has a lot to do with it, I hate them and completely disagree with that assessment
- Girouxsalem90

You are entitled to your opinion, even if it's wrong.

Morrow does not even play here, buzz off.
- powerhouse

completely missed the point. A LOT of you Pens fans have double standards, if you don't admit this you are either in denial or completely insane.

Has nothing to do with it, not one bit.
I respect the hawks and they beat us and are a big rival.
- dshiddy

This is true. Even Boston learned last year that you can't bully your way past the best team in the NHL.

Kind of funny reading the comments on this blog. Flyers, Pens, Bruins, Van; all these teams are well respected, and most fans would agree they are in the top percentile of teams the "Refs Help"

A lot of these penalities and thug plays would stop if the Refs would start calling the penalties when they should be called, and hand out fines more.

Chara earlier this year, Rick Nash last year, Morrow in the playoffs last year. Blame the refs or blame the owners, but someone has to change something.

But at the end of the day, the players are just doing it to themselves

Kind of funny reading the comments on this blog. Flyers, Pens, Bruins, Van; all these teams are well respected, and most fans would agree they are in the top percentile of teams the "Refs Help"

A lot of these penalities and thug plays would stop if the Refs would start calling the penalties when they should be called, and hand out fines more.

Chara earlier this year, Rick Nash last year, Morrow in the playoffs last year. Blame the refs or blame the owners, but someone has to change something.

But at the end of the day, the players are just doing it to themselves
- Danformo

The refs definitely do not help the Canucks, far from it. Burrows and Kesler have ruined that by all the diving they did in the past.