Most unusual day ends amid fun and laughter

Sunday, February 19, 2012

By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 18: Matt Cooke #24 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a shorthanded goal at 13:57 of the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 18, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA- It isn't every day that a hockey player stands up and brags about taking a tripping penalty. Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis did Saturday.

It really isn't every day that Penguins forward Matt Cooke is mentioned in the same sentence with franchise icon Mario Lemieux. "They're the same player, Mario and Cookie," goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury quipped.

Are you getting the idea the Penguins' room was filled with fun and frivolity after their 6-4 beating of the Philadelphia Flyers?

"I don't know, my name has been there a bunch of times with Mario's lately," Cooke deadpanned. "Not for good reasons."

You remember Cooke's 17-game suspension at the end of last season?

The one that threatened his future with the Penguins after team owner Lemieux's very public stance against gratuitous violence in the NHL?

Lemieux and the Penguins are mighty glad they stuck with Cooke, who is in the news this morning for the best of reasons. He had his first two-goal game since the opener Oct. 6 in Vancouver and his first three-point day of the season. He scored his second goal when the Penguins were down two men because of penalties. It was the first 3-on-5 goal for the franchise since Lemieux did it against the Los Angeles Kings nearly 24 years to the day.

Hence, the Fleury observation.

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