Some company for Mike Milbury in the Penguin parade

A rather reserved Mike Milbury was back at the desk on Thursday night, helping NBC Sportsnetwork deliver NHL hockey to the multitudes, making for an interesting bit of parsing by viewers to see if any of his previous thoughts on Penguins hockey might show through again.

Mount Milbury of course had another explosion over the last few days, some puffs of smoke followed by the volcanic flow of words, an occasion not uncommon from the shoot from lip analyst, this time focusing on the NHL's main attraction (when he's healthy) of Sidney Crosby.

Or as Mr. Milbury refers to him Goody Two Shoes, well at least until somebody either at NBC or the NHL itself suggested that wasn't exactly the best way to build the NHL brand.

Milbury was offering some commentary to a Philadelphia radio station in the wake of the Penguins/Flyers contest of Monday night, a nasty little affair that sets the stage for Saturday and the first round of the playoffs as things turn out.

While perhaps over selling his anti Pittsburgh bromides for the Philly audience, the words were apparently not un-noticed at NBC and perhaps even at the NHL offices as well, as Mr. Milbury set some kind of record for apologies this week, quickly offering up his regrets for his off the cuff thoughts to the Philly radio crew.

With the apology, seemingly all is well at NBC, considering his presence on the analysts desk on Thursday, though in Philly we imagine his backtracking probably means that the Milbury statue, to shadow the Rocky one is probably off the drawing boards.

At any rate, while Milbury was quiet on the Penguin parade Thursday, he probably found some comfort in the thoughts of John Tortorella, who post game Thursday picked up on the now growing theme of whining in Pittsburgh.
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Philly, dust off those statue plans, you have a new template for the design.

Globe and Mail-- Mad Mike repents, but stay tuned for his next outburst
Globe and Mail-- Milbury apologizes for ripping Crosby
Globe and Mail-- Mike Milbury calls Sidney Crosby 'little goody two shoes'
National Post-- Mike Milbury apologizes for Sidney Crosby comments
Toronto Star-- Mike Milbury apologizes for calling Sidney Crosby a 'punk'
Toronto Star-- Crosby camp rejects Mike Milbury's apology after 'punk' rant
National Post-- Sidney Crosby has a little punk in him, Mike Milbury says
CBC-- Sidney Crosby's agent rejects Milbury's apology
Deadspin-- John Tortorella is Pissed off at Pittsburgh
Boston Herald-- Rangers coach, John Tortorella rips Penguins about hit
New York Times-- Tortorella Seethes After Penguin's Hit
New York Daily News-- NY Rangers coach John Tortorella fumes...
NBC New York-- John Tortorella is Not a Fan of the Penguins
ESPN-- Tortorella: Pens 'arrogant,' Orpik hit 'dirty'