by Jesse on Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:33 pm
MCM, I'm going to avoid beating a dead horse as much as I can in this response because I actually try to intellectually respond to what you post after each game.
First, in regards to the offense, the 2nd period was more of an F rating for me than the first. We were shorthanded basically from the 13:00 mark to the 2:00 mark on and off of the first period, so sustaining pressure had become a bit difficult at that point.
On that point, I give Ryan Malone a D. Sure, someone needed to go after Witt. Not because of that hit, but because Witt is a generally overall dirty player to begin with. Ryan Malone showed he's a guy that wants to stay here, but he picked the wrong spot. First off, Whitney wasn't going to fight Witt, just facewash him and let him know he was there. Malone was the third man in, which is automatically a stupid thing to do. Second, there can't be a fight after everytime someome checks Sidney Crosby. We'll be in the box for the duration of every game. That hit was clean as a whistle and Sidney knew it. Ryan Malone needs to really pick his spots better and I stand by that. What happened in the third period deserved fisticuffs more than a clean, open ice check in the first period when you have all the momentum. To me, for Ryan Malone, that was the last act of a desperate man who wants to stay here but knows the cards are stacked against him.
I just think that posters, not you imparticular, are putting too much stock into this "Stand up for Sidney" campaign that has been sparked since last night. Everyone complains that no one (Whitney) did anything to Blake, but no one points out the absurdity of Malone to fight Witt while Whitney is already facewashing him after a clean, open ice check.
Are we going to drop the gloves everytime Sidney get's hit? That's a fairly primitive style of hockey, if you ask me.
Note to Penguins: Pick your spots better next time.