Matt Cooke got his first point of the playoffs in Sunday's 2-1 double overtime loss to Ottawa.
He picked up the only assist on Tyler Kennedy's second marker of the postseason. His contributions on offense have obviously been lacking, but his overall game hasn't gone unnoticed by his teammates or the coaching staff. "He's pretty unbelievable right now," Kennedy said. "Cookie's always a good player, but he's really getting it done right now. He's a great leader, too." Cooke tied Craig Adams with a team-high six hits in Game 3 and he has racked up a total of 39 in nine playoff outings. He's also played great defensively.

Matt Cooke scored a goal in Pittsburgh's 2-0 victory Saturday afternoon.
James Neal also found the back of the net for the Penguins. Deryk Engelland, Tyler Kennedy, Evgeni Malkin, and Douglas Murray each assisted on one of Pittsburgh's two goals.

Matt Cooke has been playing through an injury.
"It's a best-case scenario for him to just be able to play and not get on the ice two skates in a day," coach Dan Bylsma said after Cooke skipped Tuesday's morning skate prior to suiting up against the Canadiens. "Yup, he's playing with an injury, or is hurt a little bit, but he's been 100 percent when he's played." He has been just an occasional participant at practices since he blocked a shot March 16 against the New York Rangers. Cooke has 15 points, 69 hits and 28 penalty minutes in 34 games this season.

Matt Cooke is a "game-time" decision for Sunday afternoon's contest.
Cooke left Saturday's contest against the New York Rangers after blocking a shot. He did return later on but in a limited fashion.

Matt Cooke choose not to fire back at Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, who suggested that Cooke doesn't deserve to be in the NHL.
Cooke's skate sliced Senators' star defenseman Erik Karlsson's Achilles tendon on Wednesday, but the NHL didn't punish Cooke because they couldn't determine intent. Still, Cooke has been punished by the league before and while some would argue he's reformed, Melnyk thinks he "belongs somewhere where the goons play." Cooke responded by saying, "I'm sorry Mr. Melnyk feels that way. I understand the position he's in, and it's not easy."

The Ottawa Sun's Don Brennan penned a column entitled "Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke must pay for injuring Erik Karlsson."
Brennan is incredulous over the fact that Cooke wasn't penalized (or suspended) for the move on Karlsson that severed his Achilles tendon. Brennan says "it's not like Cooke is getting away with murder, but close" and that Cooke was "criminally careless." In the end, he says, he doesn't buy that Cooke has reformed. "Once a dirty player, always a dirty player."

Matt Cooke won't face a hearing or any supplemental discipline for slicing the Achilles tendon of Ottawa's Erik Karlsson during Wednesday night's game.
Cooke called the play "a complete accident" and the league apparently feels the same way. Karlsson will require surgery and is out indefinitely. Cooke turned over a new leaf last season and he has carried over a much more disciplined style into this season, so past criticisms of his conduct or reputation aren't as warranted as they used to be.