By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Peter Diana/Post-GazetteBrooks Orpik congratulates Chris Kunitz, center, and Pascal Dupuis, right, after a Kunitz goal against Tampa Bay in January.
For a while, I thought defenseman Brooks Orpik's broken finger would be the injury that finally doomed the Penguins. Then, I talked to Orpik. He set me straight.
"It's been tough. By far, it's the worst I've ever seen," he said of the Penguins' long list of injuries. "It seems like every time you're waiting for someone to get back, you lose someone else.
"But the attitude of the team and the energy level in the room hasn't dipped at all. You would think guys might start feeling sorry for themselves. But that hasn't happened. I don't think it will happen with this team."
It didn't happen Saturday night, that's for sure. The Penguins fought back on the road from four deficits to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 6-5, in a shootout. It ended a 2-6-2 slide and was their most goals in regulation since Jan. 12, which is hardly a surprise considering they haven't had stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, not to mention Chris Kunitz and Mark Letestu, who returned against the Maple Leafs after missing 13 games with a knee injury.
"Guys are playing hard," Orpik said. "We're outplaying and outshooting teams, but the quality of shots and the quality of finishing aren't there. Just because you're asking guys to play more minutes doesn't mean they're going to be able to do more than they can do. They're giving everything they have."
Orpik planned to do dinner and watch the Toronto game with injured teammate Arron Asham. As entertaining as the game was, watching Orpik eat might have been more interesting. His right index finger was broken by a shot by San Jose's Patrick Marleau Wednesday night and is in a splint. He is right-handed, which means he has to do everything with his left hand.
"Putting in my contacts, brushing my teeth, stupid stuff like that takes time getting used to with your other hand."
Orpik knew he was in trouble the instant Marleau's shot got him. He skated immediately to the locker room. "Usually, you sit on the bench and shake it off for 20 or 30 seconds and wait for the pain to go away," he said. "This time was different. I was numb all the way up my arm. When I took my glove off 30 seconds later, the finger already was puffed out. It was just bad luck."
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma announced the next day that Orpik would be out four-to-six weeks. I've heard some say that seems like a long time for a broken finger because hockey players are known for ignoring pain and often don't miss a shift, let alone multiple games, because of a broken bone. Well, know this about Orpik: He's as tough as they come. He played on against Chicago Feb. 20 after a high stick from the Blackhawks' Patrick Sharp left his mouth oozing blood. Last season, he played through the playoffs with a tear in his abdominal wall that required surgery in June.
Never question this man's toughness.
"I broke my left ring finger two years ago," Orpik said. "That break was near the end of my finger so I was able to tape it together to my pinkie and keep playing. This break is higher up. I was lucky, it's not displaced. But if I kept playing with it and took any little hit on it, it would be displaced and I'd need surgery. That's the risk I would be taking."
Of course, Orpik is planning on being back sooner rather than later. He said he is hooking himself up a couple of times a day to a bone-healing system that uses ultrasound and is supposed to quicken healing by 35-to-40 percent. He is targeting the Penguins' trip to Florida at the end of March for his return.
At least Orpik has that target date. Crosby, who hasn't played since Jan. 5 because of concussion-like symptoms, has no idea when he will return. That's brutal for him, brutal for his teammates. "I don't even ask him about it. I'm sure that's the last thing he wants to talk about," Orpik said. "But he definitely looks a lot better physically. I don't know what that means. I just know, for a long time, he had a glazed look on his face. He doesn't have that anymore."
The Penguins need Crosby to make a deep playoff run. They also need Orpik, who has developed into a terrific defenseman on a team that's relying more on defense to win. They need his work in their end of the ice. They need him on the penalty kill. They need his toughness. They need his leadership.
The good news is Orpik figures he'll be healthier and stronger for these playoffs than he was last season when he was dealing with that awful abdominal issue. He has always been a maniacal workout guy. Because his injury is a finger and not a knee or an ankle or -- thank heaven -- a concussion, he'll be able to continue training. "Hopefully, once this thing heals, I'll just jump right back in the lineup and be ready to go."
Things are going to be OK, Orpik said.
You, too, have been set straight.
You're welcome.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.
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