Penguins win 2-1, anger Bruins

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

The Boston Bruins left Pittsburgh with a loss and a whole lot of anger after losing one of their best players to what they felt was a cheap-shot hit.

Evgeni Malkin scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period after former linemate Pascal Dupuis tied it, and the Pittsburgh Penguins remained unbeaten since the Olympic break by beating the Bruins 2-1 Sunday.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 21 shots by the NHL’s lowest-scoring team to help the Penguins end Boston’s five-game road winning streak. Boston, which had won six of seven, is 1-1 during a season-long seven-game road trip.

The Bruins played the final 5:37 without center Marc Savard, who received a concussion while being leveled by a blindside hit by Matt Cooke. Savard released a shot from above the circles only to be struck in the head from behind by Cooke’s raised left arm and shoulder. Cooke was not penalized.

Savard was unconscious briefly, but was moving his arms and legs before being carried off the ice. He returned to the team hotel, along with a member of the Bruins’ medical staff, but was hopeful of rejoining the team as early as today.

“It’s pretty obvious that was definitely a dirty hit,” said Bruins coach Claude Julien, who said Cooke should be suspended. “That’s probably the classic blind-side hit to the head.”

NHL general managers are considering a rule change for next season that would ban such hits, but the Bruins still believe Cooke’s hit crossed the line. Cooke defended himself by saying he was only finishing his check.

“At some point, there’s got to be a clear indication from the league [what’s legal and what’s not] because we’ve seen this so many times now,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said.

The Penguins are 4-0 since the Olympic break, rallying in their last three.

Crosby has two goals and four assists while getting at least a point in all four victories.

Malkin has at least one point in 16 of 17 games.