PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, January 18, 2007
The most encouraging aspect of the Penguins' victory over the Islanders on Tuesday wasn't the two goals by Sidney Crosby or the two from Erik Christensen.
Or even the one Michel Ouellet scored.
What mattered most were two penalties taken by Ryan Whitney and the first three incurred by Ryan Malone.
All five occurred at 10:49 of the first period.
All were in response to a thundering Brendan Witt hit on Crosby.
Hallelujah Hollywood.
The hit was legitimate in the estimation of Penguins radio voices Mike Lange and Phil Bourque, but the Penguins weren't interested in an on-air assessment.
Malone and Whitney rushed to Crosby's defense.
Three days previously, the Flyers' Alexei Zhitnik had crunched Crosby late in the second period with what appeared to be a cross-check to the neck. Although no penalty was called, Crosby felt the need to retaliate, winding up with an extra roughing minor for his trouble.
A scuffle ensued eventually, but not quickly enough to satisfy the NBC studio analysts who, between periods of the Saturday afternoon national broadcast, wondered aloud why the Pens would be so content to let Crosby fend for himself.
It was a legitimate question.
Part of the answer could have been that the Crosby-Zhitnik incident occurred late in the second period of a road game that was tied at 3-3.
There was no sense potentially risking an attainable two points by picking up an extra penalty -- which Crosby managed to get, anyway -- for starting a ruckus.
Tuesday night was another matter.
The Pens led, 1-0, at home midway through the first period when the Witt hit was delivered.
If they had to risk their lead and kill a few extra penalty minutes to make their point about such liberties no longer being tolerated, so be it.
Whitney, much more of an offensive defenseman than a heavyweight, was slow to respond on Saturday afternoon and a blur in coming to Crosby's aid on Tuesday night. Whitney's supposed to make his contributions with his wrists, not his fists, but apparently he's also beginning to realize that on occasion he'll have to expand his role.
Malone isn't supposed to be a policeman, either. But was it a coincidence that a day after a one-on-one meeting with the general manager regarding published reports about a potential trade, Malone was willing to do whatever it takes?
One of the missing ingredients during a better-than-anticipated first half has been team toughness.
The Penguins finally displaying some on Tuesday night didn't prevent Crosby from enduring a cheap shot late in the game.
But it was a significant step all the same.
Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
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