as much contempt as I have for Crosby, that was a foul. Streit has to know who that is, and that he's absolutely going to get whistled for that.
- sfischer

If we're calling things just because it's crosby we've got problems.Still it's a trip in my mind also. Though if i'm watching it as a ref, not sure if i make that call so what if it's crosby he's crashing the net played at full speed the first time i watched it i thought he just whent over because streits trying to force him off the puck and i'd have let it go as a clean play. Watching it a second and third time it does seem that streit might have clipped the back skate a bit.

I thought this game was a pretty sadly officiated mess. im not a fan of either team, but that Letang elbow into MacDonalds head was a pretty blatantly missed call. along with crosbys fall which lead to the GW

I thought this game was a pretty sadly officiated mess. im not a fan of either team, but that Letang elbow into MacDonalds head was a pretty blatantly missed call. along with crosbys fall which lead to the GW
- Boltdolt84

really? mac was falling into letang during that play you have to keep your head up

really? mac was falling into letang during that play you have to keep your head up
- gravyboy33

I agree somewhat, but he definitely drove through with the elbow. I rewinded and watched that hit so many times

I wonder what will happen when the Habs play the Pens? Tough decisions for the refs...
- Flyfreaky

doesn't seem to be any worry of that

If we're calling things just because it's crosby we've got problems.Still it's a trip in my mind also. Though if i'm watching it as a ref, not sure if i make that call so what if it's crosby he's crashing the net played at full speed the first time i watched it i thought he just whent over because streits trying to force him off the puck and i'd have let it go as a clean play. Watching it a second and third time it does seem that streit might have clipped the back skate a bit.
- deadsector

the Penalty isn't a trip, it's holding. He grabs him up high with both arms. And that's what the refs called too.

Only reason it's being debated at all is because it's Crosby.

That's a penalty.

It's not like the Rangers would have scored on the powerplay anyway

And for those wondering, the reason McDonagh was on the ice for 3 mins was because Torts doesn't trust any defensemen other than him and Girardi against top guys.

And I don't blame him :/ Come back soon Staal.

Also, I love how someone as strong as Crosby can fall so easily.

the Penalty isn't a trip, it's holding. He grabs him up high with both arms. And that's what the refs called too.

Only reason it's being debated at all is because it's Crosby.

That's a penalty.
- Big_Lightnin

agreed, if the same thing happens to JT and isnt called all the whiners would be whining even more than they are. haters gonna hate whiners gonna whine

Not sure who this video is supposed to incriminate, the guy for going down easy or the guy who loses position and is draped over the front of the guy with both hands and stick and the slough foot from behind.
- ruttager17

I'm not normally one to complain about the officiating, but this time, I'm going to make an exception. I'm still trying to figure out what the he11 Hamonic did to earn that second penalty in the first period . Also, as for the game winning goal, you DO NOT call THAT penalty in the overtime, period, especially when there was actual holding at the other end of the ice not a minute before that. Those are my two examples, but here's the larger point:

The NHL is a low rent piece of cr*p, and it always has been. The NFL referees f**k up, but that's because they're old men chasing young men around a football field. The NFL is a billionaires club that has more license to print money than the US government. It doesn't matter if the Bengals play the Cardinals in the Super Bowl, everyone watches it.

The NHL in the US, in contrast, needs to do everything it can to drum up ratings. It has an internal and an external pecking order, both of which are obvious to a person who has watched the sport for 40 years, as I have. The internal pecking order is the original six, and the external pecking order includes any team that has a guy who the TV networks consider to be a superstar, on what is clearly a good team. Two or three years from now, because we have Tavares, if we make the right free agent moves and most of our youngsters develop into very good NHL players, just as if by magic, we will start getting those lame-a$$ed calls in the overtime....and I will be equally as unhappy seeing that as I was seeing what I saw yesterday.

agreed, if the same thing happens to JT and isnt called all the whiners would be whining even more than they are. haters gonna hate whiners gonna whine
- gravyboy33

Here's the problem- the same thing happened at the other end of the ice, not a minute before- and it was actual holding, not jockeying for position. The penalty on Hamonic was also cr*p. I don't usually complain about the officiating, but the incompetence of those two referees was at a different level. It's not so much the calls- it's what they didn't call that bothers me. Same exact thing happens at both ends of the ice- one is a penalty and one is not. I'd rather they just let the boys play like they used to, ESPECIALLY in the OT.

I thought this game was a pretty sadly officiated mess. im not a fan of either team, but that Letang elbow into MacDonalds head was a pretty blatantly missed call. along with crosbys fall which lead to the GW
- Boltdolt84

Along with one of the Islanders being held up along the boards at the other end, the shift before the one where Crosby drew the penalty on Strait. All I'm saying is- call everything, or call nothing. It's amazing how these jacka**es can see a puck going over the glass with an eagle eye from 50 feet away, but they won't call an elbowing penalty when they're standing right in front of the infraction.


PS- That's the REAL problem with the delay of game penalty. It's the only one that gets called EVERY TIME. What's so special about that one?

agreed, if the same thing happens to JT and isnt called all the whiners would be whining even more than they are. haters gonna hate whiners gonna whine
- gravyboy33

That's easy for a Pen's fan to say when you have the refs in your back pocket every game...

I wonder what will happen when the Habs play the Pens? Tough decisions for the refs...
- Flyfreaky

Lots and lots and lots of crying about and for penalties.

not if they make it like icing.
- Big_Lightnin

On board with this... icing is essentially a delay of game as well... consider the "punishment for the crime"... 2min for charging, kneeing, elbowing, boarding... and flipping the puck out of play?

Only real reason I can think to keep it a penalty is that they are worried about fan safety and an excessive amount of pucks flying into the crowd.

Good blog EK. Maybe the NFL shouldn't penalize teams for putting the ball out of bounds on kickoffs either...

I thought this game was a pretty sadly officiated mess. im not a fan of either team, but that Letang elbow into MacDonalds head was a pretty blatantly missed call. along with crosbys fall which lead to the GW
- Boltdolt84

Yup. It was a headshot, no bones about it, and was a penalty.

Until it costs the Leafs a game leave it alone, I mean it only cost the Rangers a game so no one should really care in the first place.

Gallagher, Huberdeau, and Saad named Calder Trophy Finalists.

Yup. It was a headshot, no bones about it, and was a penalty.
- wolfhounds

looked to me like mcdonald fell down to one knee just before the hit happened resulting in mcdonalds head being where his chest was a split second before. letang was already initiating the hit before he went down though so i feel its hardly letangs fault.

looked to me like mcdonald fell down to one knee just before the hit happened resulting in mcdonalds head being where his chest was a split second before. letang was already initiating the hit before he went down though so i feel its hardly letangs fault.
- pens_66

Agreed. I'd never argue Letang did it on purpose. But it was a headshot. Most high-stick infractions are accidents, and they are penalties.

Ultimately, I see this as more of a consistency thing within the NHL.

Agreed. I'd never argue Letang did it on purpose. But it was a headshot. Most high-stick infractions are accidents, and they are penalties.

Ultimately, I see this as more of a consistency thing within the NHL.
- wolfhounds

i agree it did end up being a headshot but i dont really know where the ruling should be. its tough to discipline someone that delivered hit against an player who makes himself vulnerable at the last second before impact. it just seemed like a fluke play with mcdonald losing his balance right before the hit.

Gallagher, Huberdeau, and Saad named Calder Trophy Finalists.
- AGalchenyuk27

He has played really well this year. Way above what I was expecting. Figured Galchenyuk would have been there instead.

He has played really well this year. Way above what I was expecting. Figured Galchenyuk would have been there instead.
- glove_was_stuck

Yes me too - nice surprise.

Agreed. I'd never argue Letang did it on purpose. But it was a headshot. Most high-stick infractions are accidents, and they are penalties.

Ultimately, I see this as more of a consistency thing within the NHL.
- wolfhounds

in regards to the consistency, i would hope the nhl doesnt call this because its likely of no ones fault. im sure mcdonald didnt want to fall down to his knees and get hit in the head and likewise letang had no idea that would happen so there was no intention. there could be a gray area though where it's difficult to judge if the hitting player had enough time to see the player is in vulnerable position. with this hit i think its quite clear that letang had no time to realize mcdonald had become vulnerable and 90% of the time this hit is made in the corner with no problems.

Why not just have the over the glass equate to an icing call. Face-off in your end with no change.