Tortorella, Milbury right on the money

If you're a Washington Capitals fan, or just a Pittsburgh Penguins hater this past week has been somewhat gratifying.

No, I'm obviously not talking about the wins over the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers on Tuesday and last night.

That fact really sucks by the way.

I'm talking about comments from NBC Sports analyst Mike Milbury and Rangers Coach John Tortorella.

Both echoed what Capitals fans and Penguins haters have been saying for the last five years.

Sidney Crosby and the rest of the boys in black, gold and silver are a bunch of arrogant, whiny babies.

This all started after Sunday's matinee between the Penguins and Flyers. Pittsburgh forward Joe Vitale leveled Philadelphia forward Danny Briere that led to an on ice-brawl and Flyers Coach Peter Laviolette smashing a stick over the class and shouting at Penguins coach Dan Bylsma.

Vitale's check on Briere steamed from a cross-check by the Flyers Brayden Schenn on Crosby a few minutes earlier.

The response from the Penguins prompted harsh comments from Milbury towards Crosby on a Philadelphia radio show, Monday, where Milbury called Crosby a "punk" and "Little good two shoes."

Here's an excerpt from the inteview:

“Little goody two shoes (Crosby) goes into the corner and gives a shot to Schenn. Schenn was late to the party, I mean, he should have turned around and drilled him right away, but I guess better late than never. So you know, Crosby gets cross-checked, big whoop, you know? He said after he came back from his 35th concussion, ‘I’m not going to do this any more, I’m not going to get into these scrums, I’m going to stay away from that stuff.’ And he couldn’t help himself because there’s a little punk in Crosby. He’s not the perfect gentleman. He’s not the sweet kid you see in interviews with his hat pulled down over his eyes. I’d say screw him, hit him whenever you get the opportunity .”

Tortorella's comments were made after last night's loss by the Rangers to the Penguins in which Rangers center Derek Stepan suffered an apparent knee injury after absorbing a knee-on-knee from the Penguins Brooks Orpik in the closing minutes of the third period.

Tortorella called the Penguins "one of the most arrogant organizations in the league" and referred to Evgeni Malkin and Crosby as Pittsburgh's "two whining stars."

Here's an excerpt from Tortorella's remarks:

"They whine about this stuff all of the time, and look what happens? It's ridiculous. But they'll whine about something else over there, won't they?"

I applaud Tortorella and Milbury for their comments. For years, Crosby has constantly whined and bitched and moaned to league officials during games about calls they aren't making.

Does anyone remember the clip from 24/7 when Crosby felt a referee missed a high stick on the Capitals John Carlson during the two team's Dec. 23 meeting?

Crosby adamantly argued the non-call, repeatedly telling the official "That's a (bleepin) joke."

How about the infamous check on Alex Ovechkin late in the 2009 regular season when both players were skating to the their respective benches?

Crosby sat at the end of the Pens bench and chirped with Capitals players well after the incident took place.

The Penguins whining has come from Mario Lemieux who last year said the league failed in the punishments laid out in the aftermath of the Penguins brawl with the New York Islanders in February 2011.

All Tortorella and Milbury did was state the obvious. Penguins stars have been getting away with dirty play since Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr's haydays with the organization.

Penguins players, coaches and management have always felt they could do whatever on the ice and get away with it. You want to know why Crosby whines and pulls the cheap crap that he pulls? Because the league does nothing to stop it.

Milbury has since apologiezed for his comments mainly because of his insensitivity towards Crosby's recent concussion problems. I understand Milbury doesn't want to lose either one of his jobs, so I can't totally fault him.

But, the league can do whatever they want. I know the playoffs start next week, but if Orpik is not suspended for at least the first two games of the Pens first round series I'm seriously going to question the leagues integrity.

Tortorella and Milbury simply stated the obvious.

It's time the league does the obvious.