The Penguins aren't a dirty team, they just have a good handful of very dirty players — two of whom get NHL preferential treatment in Crosby and Malkin.
Add to that list Cooke and Orpik, and yeah, it's pretty easy to see why fans hate that organization.
Tortorella went off on them after the Orpik knee-on-knee hit on Stepan in the post-game last night:
@NYP_Brooksie:
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The Orpik hit was a dirty one, no doubt. But to include Crosby and Malkin in that list just because they're the most high-profile not only on the team but in the league, is just ludicrous. Malkin takes stupid penalties out of frustration, but he's not dirty. And I don't see how Crosby can be labeled a dirty player. Further, seeing how Matt Cooke didn't play dirty whatsoever this year, was one of the least penalized forwards on the team and did everything he could to shake that rep, I'd be hard pressed to label him as dirty either.
Does Crosby whine? Sure. So does Ryan Callahan. So does Alex Ovechkin. Name the captain from a given team, and they'ld be doing a BAD job as a captain if they weren't on the refs case. If you can influence the game-and Crosby has showed you can- through talking to the refs, you'ld be a fool not to try as team captain. Torterella was emotional and pissed over the Orpik hit, and rightfully so, so I don't blame him for lashing out the way he did. Im no homer, believe me, the hit by Orpik was damn dirty, and has no place in hockey.
I'm just not sure how Crosby and Malkin fit in that discussion, as neither are dirty. Crosby does whine from time to time, but hes doing his job in doing so. And Malkin, well, he knows about 25 words of English, so Im not sure how much whining he's doing to the refs....
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It was a helluva regular season for the Pens, as they finished with 108 points, 2nd most in team history. Malkin gets his 50th goal in the regular season finale, and Dupuis got his 25th, and extended his NHL season long point streak to 17 games. Unreal for a guy who was a throw-in to the Pens in a trade that brought them Marian Hossa.
That also gives the Pens 5 guys with 25+ goals, including Neal's 40, and of course, Malkin's 50. Staal also had 25, and Chris Kunitz had 26. With none of those guys being named Crosby or Steve Sullivan, and this team is as deep as any up front come playoff time.
It's the worst possible draw for the Penguins in the Flyers, as neither of these teams deserves to be bounced in Round 1, but alas, it's going to happen. It was a huge confidence boost, I'd imagine, even in a meaningless game, for the Pens to get their first Victory at Consol Energy Center against the Flyers. The Pens could play at least two games there against the Flyers, so they're going to need a few wins there to win this series. I do think the Penguins have the advantage in net, are deeper up front, and their defensive corps are slightly better. Still, any gaps aren't much, and I expect this to be a high scoring series that's closely contested. Still, I think Fleury will steal a game, the Penguins will get a big game from Crosby and Malkin apiece, and their secondary scoring will win them a game. A tight, tight series against the team I hate the most, but respect. Ill take
Pens in 7. 
