Sounds as though veteran Pittsburgh d-man Brooks Orpik will be held out for a second straight game tonight as the Pens get their first crack at eliminating the Blue Jackets.
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
[Orpik] did not participate in a morning practice at Nationwide Arena. Instead, he spent time riding a stationary bike outside the visitors’ dressing room.
Orpik was not wearing any braces on either his knees or ankles, and did not have any part of his mid- to lower-body areas wrapped in ice or heat.
Orpik did not play in the Penguins’ home Game 5 victory on Saturday night. Team policy is not to provide specifics regarding injury during the playoffs, but Orpik walked gingerly after the contest.
The rugged blueliner had been a constant presence through the first four games of the series, playing at least 21 minutes a night while logging 28:02 in a Game 2 OT loss.
With Orpik out, Robert Bortuzzo is likely to draw in again for the second straight game. Bortuzzo played just over 13 minutes in Saturday’s 3-1 win, registering three shots on goal, two blocked shots and two hits.