Matt Cooke Suspension More Grief Than Pittsburgh Needs

Frank Doyle looks at Mario’s misery, the devil in New Jersey and happy times in the Sad Song Capital of the world.

What a fun game that was yesterday between the Rangers and the Penguins. Mario Lemieux’s comments about headshots in the light of the Max Pacioretty situation came back to haunt him with a vengeance.

Matt Cooke did that thing he does during the Penguins’ 5-2 loss to the Rangers, delivering a blindside headshot on Ryan McDonagh that the Rangers President and General Manager thinks should cost Cooke ten games, according to the New York Post. With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin still on the IR, losing Cooke as well is grief that Super Mario didn’t need.

Pittsburgh travels to Detroit tonight, where the Red Wings are sitting pretty at the top of the Central Conference. Pittsburgh could have put it up to Detroit, but with Matt Cooke suspended – it’s too big an NHL betting ask. Red Wings for the win.

As for the Rangers, they’re looking good for the playoffs now. A four game winning streak gives them room to breathe and, with Florida and Ottawa due next to visit 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, the Rangers have to be confident of breathing easy for a little while yet.

Across the Jersey river, the Devils continue to fight like dogs in a desperate chase for the playoffs. Back to back losses to Ottawa and Washington may have doomed that dream, but a 3-0 shutout of Columbus in Columbus last night would suggest that the Devils don’t consider themselves done just yet.

New Jersey travels to Boston tomorrow night, where the Bruins have really gone into a slump, losing six of their last seven. They need to snap that, but the fire still burns for the New Jersey Devils. The Bruins misery to continue is the pick.

Nashville has won three straight to keep its playoff hopes alive. Not only that, those three wins were against Boston and Detroit, and away to Buffalo, none of whom would be considered victims.

Unlike tomorrow night’s visitors to Tennessee. Edmonton has the miserable distinction of being the first team eliminated from playoff contention this season, and all they’ve got left to play for now is pride. That battle begins tomorrow night at the Bridgestone Arena.