PITTSBURGH As reporters rushed toward Matt Cooke in the locker room at Consol Energy Center on Sunday afternoon an observer gleefully called out that the Penguins winger was lovable.
Maybe until the Eastern Conference finals head to Boston.
The hit that rekindled bad feelings about Cooke in the minds of Bruins fans was the hot topic as the teams prepared for Game 2 on Monday in Pittsburgh even as Penguins players asserted it didn't much affect the outcome in the Bruins' 3 0 victory in Game 1.
Related Bruins goalie Rask stayed grounded after shutout win Penguins' Cooke says he didn't deserve ejection for hit Maps 1001 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15219 USA United Center 1901 West Madison Street Chicago IL 60612 USAEarly in the second period Saturday Cooke drove Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid into the boards and was given a five minute major penalty and a game misconduct for checking from behind. McQuaid re entered later in the second and played 11 minutes 57 seconds in the game. Cooke was sent to the locker room.
I look up. I see his right shoulder and he looks me right in the eyes Cooke said. At the last minute he goes to make a reverse but I've committed to him. I don't drive him through the boards.
Cooke agreed the play warranted a penalty but said he didn't think he deserved an ejection or suspension. The NHL did not further discipline Cooke for the hit Sunday a decision Bruins coach Claude Julien said he had no issue with because I'm not convinced it's a suspendable thing.
Obviously it's a great relief because I want to be on the ice helping my team Cooke said.
McQuaid said he was taken by surprise by the hit and did not try to induce the penalty. He said he needed time to collect himself before getting up but felt fine Sunday.
I don't know why anyone would want to put themselves in that position or would want that McQuaid said. If that's the way they saw it then they're entitled to their opinion.
The issue was magnified because of Cooke's reputation for dirty play including his infamous 2010 blindside hit that resulted in a concussion for former Bruins center Marc Savard. Cooke said he didn't think the severity of the penalty was based on that reputation.
The referees are trying to do their best Cooke said. Initially it looked like he was maybe hurt but he played a shift after so I think that probably affected their decision.
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma and teammate Brenden Morrow argued a similar hit by the Bruins' Brad Marchand was more dangerous. Marchand pushed James Neal from behind into the dasher board in front of the Penguins' bench in the second period and received a two minute minor for boarding.
Fortunately (Neal) catches the dasher on the top of his helmet and not a few inches lower which would have been his forehead or his eye level Bylsma said.
Morrow said Cooke's ejection wasn't the momentum shifter in the game which included several more scuffles before the Bruins broke away with two goals in the third. He also said he doesn't believe Cooke is bothered by being cast as the villain in this series or beyond.
It doesn't matter who he's playing. He doesn't mind that role Morrow said. He plays hard. That's what we need him to do. Play on the edge and compete hard.
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