Monday, January 11, 2010
Orpik Update As Penguins Get Ready To Continue Road Trip In Minnesota
There was better-than-anticipated news yesterday on the length of the expected absence by Pittsburgh Penguins' defenseman Brooks Orpik, who left Saturday's 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period with an undisclosed injury.
Head Coach Dan Bylsma originally expressed some concern after that game about the potential long-term nature of Orpik's injury.
However, after an optional practice in Minnesota yesterday afternoon -- where the Penguins will take on the Minnesota Wild in a nationally televised contest on Versus tonight (8 PM EST) -- Bylsma was more optimistic, indicating that, while he didn't expect Orpik to be available for tonight's game, Orpik's condition was one regarded as day-to-day.
There was no word, however, on whether Orpik planned to rejoin the team in the middle of their extended, west-coast road trip, or stay in Pittsburgh, where he returned on his own after suffering the injury in Toronto on Saturday night.
While Pittsburgh would probably make a call-up for the trip -- Deryk Engelland being the most likely replacement -- if Orpik won't return, chances are that Martin Skoula will go into the lineup in Oprik's place in the short-term.
Meanwhile, the Penguins are going to be looking for a little revenge against the Wild tonight, after losing to them 2-1 @ Mellon Arena earlier this season on Halloween night.
Pittsburgh dominated most of that game, as evidenced by their 35-15 final advantage in shots, but were stoned a majority of the night by Minnesota star netminder Nicklas Backstrom.
Pascal Dupuis was the only Penguin to beat Backstrom that night.
Whether the Penguins have to crack Backstrom again tonight remains to be seen, however.
Backstrom started Minnesota's last game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night and was pulled before the second period was over after allowing 5 goals on 12 shots.
If I'm Minnesota -- and former Penguins' AHL affiliate -- coach Todd Richards, I go back to Backstrom tonight in the hope he bounces back much like Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury did on Saturday after having been pulled in the Pens' prior game, a 7-4 defeat to the Philadelphia Flyers.
We'll see how things shake down. Recap tomorrow.
Let's Go Pens!
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2 comments:
check out the unbelievable post by this joke
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10011/1027369-87.stm
by the way, just a little speculation, but who do you thinks likely to be on the trading block before the deadline hits?
I saw Cook's column, and thought it was terrible. I address that in my post recapping the loss to the Wild.
As for speculation about the team leading up to the trade deadline, I think it's premature to have a solid read on who may be on the way out, but I can say that I'd be shocked if Pens' GM Shero didn't make a move. And I would say that regardless of the current slump they are in. Making a move at the deadline has been Shero's MO the last two seasons, and I don't expect this year to be different. He probably will look to add another veteran winger who can, hoepfully, serve the Penguins well in a top-six role. Keep reading throughout February for more about the trade deadline. I'll have plenty of talk and rumors about who may be on the move and who might be coming into Pittsburgh then. Thanks for reading.
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