From the top . . .
GOALIES
I don't claim to be a goaltending expert. But following the game as closely as I have for several years, I have observed some things about the position. One is that aside from native physical attributes and athleticism (or lack thereof), coaching and psychology can really make or break a goaltender.
Antti Raanta and Scott Darling, who both were once Blackhawk backups, put on a stellar performance last night. Both guys are proving they can play and win in the NHL—in the right circumstances. But ultimately, we saw two goaltenders who have benefited from time and patience and coaching. Raanta has always been quick. Darling has always been big. Both goalies are just using their attributes well.
We also saw (again) how difficult it is for some of the better players in the world to elevate pucks in close and at high speed. if it were as easy as some fans assume, the score of last night's game would have been more like 4-3.
REFEREEING
NHL officiating has had a serious problem for several years. And all teams end up on the short end at one time or another. But that doesn't make it right, or in the best interest of the sport.
The rules in the NHL are presently applied selectively by game officials probably more so than in any other major sport. It's not that the officials themselves are bad. It's that they are not expected to apply the rules stringent and consistently, and are allowed to selectively enforce in each situation.
But bottom line, to assume that it's fair in the end is wrong—because there is almost zero chance the current "system" would be as fair as one where the refs are held accountable for making accurate calls in every instance, with no make-goods.
Officials in all sports make mistakes. They're human. But the application of the rules in the NHL has always been about referees making a conscious decision to call an obvious infraction, or not, typically based on their feeling about a running ledger of calls and non-calls for each team.
Which is, in essence, the refs making themselves more important than the game itself.
Last night, you could argue the Hawks came out on the short end. But here's the hard truth that supports my point above.
On Nick Holden's hit on Patrick Kane, Holden DID hit Kane from behind—by the strictest definition, a penalty. But Kane was turned a split second prior to Holden's hit, by a shove from another Ranger defender. So, ostensibly, the ref either missed a pretty blatant boarding infraction, OR, chose not to penalize Holden on that basis. Which would be a subjective choice based on circumstances to not call what was, by strict definition, a penalty. And by a strict interpretation of the rules, the wrong call.
Marian Hossa WAS barely offside on a Hawk goal that was called back. The goal was overturned. The right call by a strict interpretation of the rules.
On Holden's goal in OT, the Rangers did have too many men on the ice for about 3 full seconds. Too many men is one of those calls refs apply very selectively. Though often a call that blatant is whistled. In this case, it appeared to be—clearly—the wrong call.
You can't have it both ways.
And if my interpretation of the rules is inaccurate in any of these instances, someone please enlighten me—with facts please—in the comments section.
Here's the issue: selective referee choice as to when to call (or not) what are penalties. If you have watched hockey for any number of years and have never seen this, then you don't know what you're looking at.
Commissioner Gary Bettman, who is not by background a hockey guy, has always appeared more concerned with labor disputes and tv contracts, gimmicks like the shootout, fool's errands like expansion into Central America, and yukking it up on NHL Radio.
And officiating has always been run by former refs who've always officiated in this manner, and league discipline handed with a wink and a nod to former players.
Those who say I'm writing this to whine about the Hawks' loss last night need to know I have said this before, and even after the Hawks have benefitted from this "phenomenon". The problem was not last night. That was a symptom. The Rangers will be on the short end at some point too. The problem is that this has gone on for years.
Refs need to be empowered to make all the calls on the ice. Replay has a limited role. And refs also need to be held accountable for obvious non-calls that anyone can see. No selective interpretation, or "well, we never call that one" or "that one was a judgement call," when the team has an extra player on the ice for multiple seconds, enabling him to jump into a rush and score long before he should be allowed to.
If those are the rules, just enforce them.
HAWK SCORING
By now, it's become painfully evident why the Hawks quietly tried all summer to find some bargain solution that would upgrade their forwards—while crowing out of the other side of their collective mouth about the "great oncoming youth movement."
The truth is, the Blackhawks weren't scoring much for several games before Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook went down. Their absence only magnifies the problem.
Aside from all that, it was a pretty fun game to watch. I'll have a Dallas preview tomorrow.
JJ
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