Tortorella red-faced at Penguins over Stepan hit

Tortorella red-faced at Penguins over Stepan hit

Gene J. Puskar/AP

John Tortorella is upset with the Penguins after a collision involving Derek Stepan and the Penguins' Brooks Orpik.

PITTSBURGH Through clenched teeth, John Tortorella seethed at the Penguins after Thursday nights 5-2 road loss, as angry as the Rangers coach has appeared through 81 games this season even with his team firmly secure in the Easts top seed.

Its because a Penguins player maliciously injured one of his own.

Its one of the most arrogant organizations in the league, Tortorella said, wound as tight as the inside of a baseball. They whine about this stuff all the time, and look what happens.

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With 4:39 remaining in Thursdays third period, Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik swung his right knee into the right knee of Rangers center Derek Stepan as the 21-year-old carried the puck toward the Penguins blue line. Stepan doubled over onto the ice. Brad Richards went after Orpik. Tortorella fumed on the bench.

It was gutless and dirty, said Blueshirts goaltender Martin Biron, in net for Henrik Lundqvist (sore right forearm) and so angered by the hit that he considered skating toward the ensuing melee.

Stepan skated off the ice under his own power slumped over i n pain, but was not available to talk after the game. Tortorella did not have an update on his forwards condition, but was livid over Orpiks actions, which drew a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.

Its a cheap, dirty hit. I wonder what would happen if we did it to their two whining stars over there. I wonder what would happen, Tortorella said, referring to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, whom Flyers assistant coach Craig Berube recently called the two dirtiest players on their hockey team on CSN Phillys Daily News Live. Im anxious to see what happens with the league with this. (Theres) just no respect amongst players. None. Its sickening.

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma tried to dodge responsibility on his teams end by comparing Orpiks run at Stepan to a hit on Feb. 29 by Dallas Eric Nystrom on Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang. Letang missed the next five games with concussion symptoms, but Nystrom was not suspended by the NHL.

On Letangs injury, however, the Pens defenseman reached for a puck into the corner, opening his body to a crushing check to the chest in close quarters. In Stepans case, Orpik can be seen lining up Stepan and sticking his right leg out further as the Blueshirts forward attempts to dodge the hit.

Its ridiculous, Tortorella said. But they'll whine about something else over there, won't they? Starting with their two (bleeping) stars.