PITTSBURGH - Erik Cole waited less than five minutes before he dropped the gloves with Brooks Orpik, but it was a fight almost two years in the making.

The Carolina Hurricanes forward had never properly meted out hockey justice to the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman who broke his neck in March 2006 with a hit from behind into the boards only a few feet away from where they fought Saturday.

Afterward, distressed over the Canes' third-period collapse in the 4-1 loss, Cole didn't want to talk about it. But he did say he instigated the proceedings.

"Yeah, obviously," Cole said. "I don't know. It's behind me."

It wasn't much of a fight, with more grappling than punching as Orpik pulled Cole's jersey over his head -- Cole escaped a game misconduct because the tie-down attaching the jersey to his pants broke -- but Cole was warmly received by his teammates when he returned to the bench.

Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette prohibited Cole from fighting Orpik last season but wasn't complaining Saturday.

"I had no problem with it," he said.

NO CROSBY, NO PROBLEM: The Penguins moved to 3-2-1 without Sidney Crosby, who is expected to miss another four to six weeks with a sprained ankle.

Evgeni Malkin has five goals and four assists since Crosby was injured, including a goal and two assists Saturday.

COMMODORE TEMPTS FATE: Taking on the responsibility of serving as Carolina's player representative to the NHL Players Association has never been good for anyone's career with the Canes.

Mike Commodore was promoted from alternate to replace Craig Adams when Adams was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks last month, and he's aware of the legacy he faces.

"I'll try and break the trend," Commodore said. "I didn't volunteer. It wasn't forced upon me, but I was kind of moved into it."

Of the previous six players to serve as player rep, five were traded -- one, Arturs Irbe, was demoted to the minors first -- and only one, Dave Karpa, left on his own terms. Commodore is an unrestricted free agent after the season.

HOME TIES: The Hurricanes' traveling party to Pittsburgh included an unusual number of ex-Penguins on staff -- five.

General manager Jim Rutherford and assistant coaches Kevin McCarthy and Jeff Daniels were with the team for its first visit this season, in October, but assistant general manager Ron Francis and goaltending coach Tom Barrasso made this trip as well.

Francis and Barrasso received a round of applause when their presence was announced at Mellon Arena.

Penguins trainer Chris Stewart, meanwhile, served as assistant trainer for Carolina's 2005-06 Stanley Cup team.

TAILWINDS: Cam Ward made his seventh straight start and 11th straight appearance in the Carolina net. ... Ray Whitney's four-game point streak came to an end, but Rod Brind'Amour extended his point streak to three games. ... Penguins forward Petr Sykora scored his third goal in as many games against Carolina this season and his 29th point in 33 career games against the Canes.