Brooks Orpik felt awful after Boston center Patrice Bergeron scored the game-winning goal in double overtime in Game 3.
"I think everybody can realize how we felt and I felt," said Orpik, who missed his check and failed to control a streaking Bergeron who deflected home the game winner. "You feel like you let 19 guys down. It's not a good feeling." Two shifts before the goal occurred Boston's Milan Lucic rocked Orpik with a stiff check, but the tough as nails Penguins blueliner didn't miss any playing time.

Brooks Orpik potted the game-winning goal in the Penguins' 4-3 overtime win against the Islanders on Saturday night that sends them into the second round.
Yes, Orpik and his 12 career NHL goals (first in the playoffs) gets the decisive goal at 7:49 of overtime on a slapshot. Sure, what counts is that Penguins won the series 4-2, but they were far from consistent in this game (and series). Now it's time to turn the page and forget about their ragged play Paul Martin had a goal and two helpers, while Pascal Dupuis and Jarome Iginla notched the other markers. Matt Niskanen, Joe Vitale, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby had the other assists. Malkin had a rough game in every zone until he fed Martin on the 3-3, game-tying goal with 5:16 left. The Penguins will now face the Senators in Round 2.

Brooks Orpik didn't want to acknowledge any similarities to this series against the Islanders and last year's early playoff exit against Philadelphia.
"It's a different group of guys, a different series," Orpik said. "I don't let that stuff hang over my head. You learn from it, you move in, but I don't think you go back to it." The Penguins have suffered some of the same bad defensive lapses and some shaky goaltending, which plagued them versus the Flyers. Orpik returned to Pittsburgh's lineup in Game 4 from a lower-body injury. He had a minus-1 rating, one hit, two blocks and two penalty minutes during his 18:44 of ice time.

Brooks Orpik will return from his lower-body injury Tuesday night.
Game 4 will mark his 2013 playoff debut. Orpik hasn't played since April 23, but his presence on the back end should help bring some stability to Pittsburgh.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) practiced Tuesday but wouldn't commit to playing in Game 4 tonight.
Orpik has been sidelined since April 23 but has been skating of late. The Penguins really miss his physical presence in the lineup, especially against Islanders forwards John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. We'll have to wait until pregame warmups to see if Orpik will return tonight.

The Penguins miss Brooks Orpik's shutdown presence on defense.
Orpik hasn't played since April 23 because of a lower-body injury, though he did skate on Monday. It's tough to gather -- even more so in the playoffs -- whether Orpik could return Tuesday night. "He's strong, he's physical, he's very good in his own end, and he's tough to take it to the net against," Islanders winger Brad Boyes said. "With him out of the lineup, it does help us."

Brooks Orpik (lower body) took to the ice for Monday's optional practice.
He hasn't played since April 23 because of a lower-body issue and his status for Game 4 is still unclear.

Brooks Orpik (lower-body injury) did not skate Friday morning nor did he play Friday night against the Islanders in Game 2 of the Penguins' Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
We are not sure if Orpik suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury or not. He did practice Wednesday and Thursday so we are curious as to why he didn't take the ice on Friday. Stay tuned for further updates.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) will not play Wednesday night when Pittsburgh hosts the Islanders in Game 1 of their quarterfinal series.
He skated before and during Wednesday's morning skate, but isn't ready to return from a lower-body injury. Deryk Engelland will play in his place.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) skated on his own Tuesday morning and will be a game-time decision Wednesday night vs. the Islanders.
Orpik is just one of several game-time decisions Wednesday night, including Sidney Crosby, who could be cleared for game action Tuesday afternoon. Owners who drafted either Penguin in their playoff pools will just have to wait until at least Wednesday's morning skate for more info.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) skated before Monday's practice.
His lone wolf skating session is the first time he's been on the ice since sustaining a lower-body injury last week. His status for Wednesday in Game 1 versus the Islanders is uncertain.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) hasn't resumed practicing yet since leaving a game last Tuesday.
He sat out the last two games of the regular season with a lower-body ailment. Orpik is considered day-to-day.

Brooks Orpik (lower-body injury) is listed as day-to-day and his availability for Saturday's contest is up in the air.
We would play it safe and keep Orpik on reserve.

Brooks Orpik won't dress Thursday due to a lower-body injury.
He stayed back in Pittsburgh with his teammates visiting the New Jersey Devils Thursday night. Orpik was injured on Tuesday and should be considered day-to-day for now.

Brooks Orpik didn't finish Tuesday's loss to Buffalo because of a lower-body injury.
He will be re-evaluated and it isn't clear if he would've been able to return or if he was held out as a precaution. Consider him day-to-day for now.

Brooks Orpik is being swayed into wearing a visor by the fact that many of the league's biggest stars already do so.
"Some of the guys say that can't see as well," Orpik said. "Well, I look around and see Sid (Sidney Crosby), Geno (Evgeni Malkin) and (Tampa Bay star Steven) Stamkos wearing visors out there. They're the best players in the game, and they have plenty of vision even though they use visors. There's probably no excuse anymore." Many players are reconsidering their stance on visors after Marc Staal was struck in the eye during Tuesday's games. There are more stories, like that of Mark Eaton, whose eight-year-old daughter has pleaded with him to wear a visor after seeing Staal's injury. Eaton still is on the fence though because he feels wearing a visor would be "such a nuisance with the fog and water."

Brooks Orpik currently sits ninth in the league with 24 blocked shots heading into Tuesday night's action.
He has 14 hits in nine games which is a lower total than you might expect him to have, but he isn't letting those numbers get to his head. "Blocking shots is, I think, the same as hits," Orpik said. "If you approach a game looking for that kind of stuff, you usually get caught out of position, or doing something you wouldn't normally do. You just have to be patient. Some games, you just have more opportunities for both. Some games, you might not have any." The Pittsburgh blueliner is averaging 23:43 of ice time per game. He has no points and a plus-1 rating as well.

The Penguins got off to a fast start against the Jets on Friday night, but those good feelings quickly disappeared.
Sidney Crosby scored twice in the first during his first game in Winnipeg, then Pittsburgh gave up three in the second and one in the third. "It`s obviously disappointing when you had a two-goal lead, no matter who you`re playing but especially in a building like this that can get pretty hostile," defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "The way we started out, the way Sid got those goals and took their fans out of it, that`s a frustrating way to finish."

In a condensed season, physical recovery will be even more crucial.
Penguins' strength and conditioning coach Mike Kadar will focus on "regeneration, rejuvenation and nutrition" this season as the Penguins will play 48 games in 99 days, with a number of three games in four nights situations. "Hydration, in my mind, is the biggest concern - it doesn`t take a lot to get behind the eight ball - and eating as organic as we can, which can get tough when you`re on the road and eating out of other buildings," Kadar said.