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Karma and the Stanley Cup Final

September 26, 2020, 11:46 AM ET [3 Comments]
Paul McCann
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Hi guys… I’m back… after a rather insane summer, it’s time to get cracking and write more regularly. In the next few weeks I will be discussing the off season activities for the NHL and the preparations for the 2020-21 season… but today… I want to talk about karma.

I have been watching the Lightning / Stars with great interest as a Central Division team is competing for the cup… I have said on SlapShot Radio that this series reminds me a bit of the 2017 Final, and it is playing out in a very similar way to that Final. Last night’s horrendous officiating made the comparisons even more appropriate.

Stay with me here…

The Dallas Stars caught a HUGE break on Corey Perry’s cup check on Brayden Point at the end of regulation. The fact that the referees didn’t have the stones to make the correct call and weaseled out by calling an embellishment on Point, leaving the teams at even strength heading into overtime… completely ridiculous. I don’t know about you, but my thought is that after taking a solid upward stick to the groin… there is no such thing as embellishment… if anything, I think that Point actually manned up nicely… a completely spineless call on the part of the officials.

And then, five minutes into the first overtime, Jamie Benn gets called for tripping… a call that didn’t even look right in real time. Referee Francis Charron, one of the better refs in the game in this writer’s opinion, made an absolutely insane call that was called out immediately by the NBC announcers, the hockey Twitterverse and the entire contingent of the St. Mary’s Old Folks Home for the Blind hockey team. Even telling Benn he “kicked the skates out” from under Tyler Johnson of the Bolts. Hmm... it involves skates??? The irony thickens... but the call? Kicking the skates?

Nope… not even close.

It was a terrible call… and one that led to the winning goal 84 seconds later. A goal that gave the Lightning a 3-1 series lead and effectively ended the Stars hopes at the Cup. I bet we don’t see much sympathy coming from Buffalo fans. And, OK, the Stars still have a chance… teams have been down 3-1 in the Stanley Cup Final 34 times and have come back to win the cup… ummmm...

Once.

Yup… it’s effectively over. It may go an extra game or two, but Tampa will be lifting the Cup sometime in the next five days. Dallas loses a cup on a bad call… and in the immortal words on Alanis Morrisette... a little too ironic...

Yeah I really do think.

Game five is tonight at 7pm on NBC.

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Random Notes – Presented by

- THE Captain - Roman Josi winning the Norris led to a celebration at Bridgestone Arena this week. You can see it on the Preds website.

- Signings, signings, signings - Michael McCarron signed a one-year, two-way deal earlier this week. Then the bigger news that Yakov Ternin signed a two-year, one-way deal… looks like Trenin is in the big club’s plans for 20/21… and that is a good thing.

- Goings - No one was surprised that Mikael Granlund isn’t coming back, and we shouldn’t be at the news that Craig Smith is testing the free agent waters. It is not surprising… although I hate it… you can count on three things… death, taxes and Craig Smith posting at least 20 goals.

- Plans - I have to think that the NHL is looking VERY closely at what is going on with the NFL as they continue to plan for the 20/21 season.

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SlapShot Radio is back for our 12th season as Zack, Brent and I are on Monday night’s this season. The best hour of hockey talk on the longest running hockey show in the southeast … 6pm Wednesdays on 102.5 the Game…

Our sponsor list continues to grow. Dr. Aileen Kruger at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762 and our good friend Carter Church, Your Murfreesboro real estate expert with Weichert – The Andrews Group. Cool Springs Wines and Spirits! The largest spirit store in all of middle Tennessee! And La-Z-Boy Nashville! Three locations, locally owned and operated, check out La-Z-Boy in Murfreesboro, Hendersonville and Cool Springs!

We are prepping for season 13… so get in on the action… reach out to me for awesome new advertising packages.

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