You answered your own question. He's going in one on four. He wasn't getting anywhere the change was complete behind him. He felt the stick on his foot and reacted two seconds after it happened. Obvious embellishment to go up two men after you guys pulled your goalie. If you complain about that being a non call I can understand why hockey has become so hard for some of you guys to watch. As far as me growing to hate the leagues officiating I just didn't start watching the sport yesterday. Officiating has been terrible since the late seventies this is nothing new and has gotten worse since the instigator penalty.

Tavares deals with all of the same clutching and grabbing that Crosby and Malkin do. He had no less than three missed calls on him yesterday and had a holding the stick called on him in the third. Does that mean there's a conspiracy against Tavares and the Islanders now? Point is it sucks all the way around. Do refs blow games and calls along with Toronto? Yes but it's not some conspiracy against the Pens. Is there bias against Downie? Probably he's a complete POS who has tried to injure other players intentionally. That's what you take on when you employ a player like that. Can't have one without the other.
- Cptmjl

Having been tripped, he clearly wasn't getting anywhere..but let's just leave that alone for now.

I have been watching hockey since 1989, so I, as well, have been around for a bit. I do not watch hockey to see the playing field between 4th line fringe players and world class talents (JT, Crosby, Ovi, et al.) leveled by poor officiating. I never said it was an anti_Pens conspiracy. It is a league wide issue of not promoting its star players. The NFL gets it by promoting offense. The NHL continues to be beholden by the notion that fans want grit, checkers with playoff beards slowing down star players, and outdoor games.

Just look at the agenda of the GM meetings. Goalie interference is an actual topic. Goalies have never had it better, what with their inflated equipment and the prevalence of shot blocking and systems hockey.

You, like me, probably attend a fair number of games. The most exciting part of a game, the part that my five year screams for, is a goal not a clutch and grab or a routine save.

You answered your own question. He's going in one on four. He wasn't getting anywhere the change was complete behind him. He felt the stick on his foot and reacted two seconds after it happened. Obvious embellishment to go up two men after you guys pulled your goalie. If you complain about that being a non call I can understand why hockey has become so hard for some of you guys to watch. As far as me growing to hate the leagues officiating I just didn't start watching the sport yesterday. Officiating has been terrible since the late seventies this is nothing new and has gotten worse since the instigator penalty.

Tavares deals with all of the same clutching and grabbing that Crosby and Malkin do. He had no less than three missed calls on him yesterday and had a holding the stick called on him in the third. Does that mean there's a conspiracy against Tavares and the Islanders now? Point is it sucks all the way around. Do refs blow games and calls along with Toronto? Yes but it's not some conspiracy against the Pens. Is there bias against Downie? Probably he's a complete POS who has tried to injure other players intentionally. That's what you take on when you employ a player like that. Can't have one without the other.
- Cptmjl

You say this like its a bad thing????

F Sutter

Im starting to lose hope for Beau. I thought he showed enough flashes of promise before the knee for me to keep the faith. But weve had a big enough sample size now...

maybe time for a new avatar...

Im starting to lose hope for Beau. I thought he showed enough flashes of promise before the knee for me to keep the faith. But weve had a big enough sample size now...

maybe time for a new avatar...
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Harpo Marx is available....

Says the guy who's team cut a back room deal with bettman and the league top not have to give upa first round pick they were stripped of for knowingly and blatantly trying to cheat and circumvent the salary cap.

Your words carry a ton of weight in the "bettman loves the penguins"argument
- Yonk1216

Same deals were made prior to Kovalchuk devils only team penalized, for spirit of the CBA not that it was written in there, so why was the devils treated negatively in comparison?

Same deals were made prior to Kovalchuk devils only team penalized, for spirit of the CBA not that it was written in there, so why was the devils treated negatively in comparison?
- dmarsden2988

because some of the rules only count sometimes or something

He was square to the puck and played well but you're right he didn't have to make many incredible saves. I'd have like to see someone falling on top of him whacking away at the puck just some desperation. I don't see enough of that from this team.
- dbell646

Hornqvist fits that bill. When he is in doing that you'll see Perron and others doing the same thing.

Everyone here crying about non calls is forgetting that the PP can't score anyway. Pens shouldn't be shutout by a non playoff team this time of year.

They're not that good of a team, deal with it.

because some of the rules only count sometimes or something


- BulliesPhan87

Hate on Bettman all you want, he's still the best commissioner of any other sport.

You say this like its a bad thing????

F Sutter
- nbartley9

Well if it leads to penalties against your team and subsequent goals against some on this thread shouldn't be so quick to blame the officiating.

Hate on Bettman all you want, he's still the best commissioner of any other sport.
- sammy87

I'm not a big Bettman hater, but his enforcement of the rules has been uneven at times.

Well if it leads to penalties against your team and subsequent goals against some on this thread shouldn't be so quick to blame the officiating.
- Cptmjl

Blaming officiating is like blaming poor lighting at the old MSG, its just part of the game.


The reason Downie is my favorite player is because of that fear factor, that at any moment he can snap and fall on someone's knee and end their season.


F Sutter

Letang is a MUCH more well-rounded defenseman than Karlsson. Karlsson doesn't have Letang's defensive/physical side, but he's not exactly as inept as a guy like Keith Yandle. Just based purely on his on-ice skill set, I'd take Letang over EK.
- jmatchett383

I've always said that but 80% of the Penguins fans, many known names here, would rather have Karlsson. Now they are pretty quiet about it.

Same deals were made prior to Kovalchuk devils only team penalized, for spirit of the CBA not that it was written in there, so why was the devils treated negatively in comparison?
- dmarsden2988

there were other 100 million dollar contracts with that amount of 1mil years at the end of the contracts?

I've always said that but 80% of the Penguins fans, many known names here, would rather have Karlsson. Now they are pretty quiet about it.
- Barnaby36

fairly certain jsut about anyone here would take karlson or shea weber over letang...

Blaming officiating is like blaming poor lighting at the old MSG, its just part of the game.


The reason Downie is my favorite player is because of that fear factor, that at any moment he can snap and fall on someone's knee and end their season.


F Sutter
- nbartley9

there will always be bad calls, but I think it's pretty obvious that the standard for interference has dropped dramatically over the course of the year. It's apparent in every game I watch lately, and looks like the NHL has told the refs to let more of it go. It's a little discouraging to see the game being slowed down again because the standards keep slipping. I imagine they'll address it in the summer and call it tight again next year through november.

fairly certain jsut about anyone here would take karlson or shea weber over letang...
- JLT168

Not me. Though you added weber when the conversation was karlson

Same deals were made prior to Kovalchuk devils only team penalized, for spirit of the CBA not that it was written in there, so why was the devils treated negatively in comparison?
- dmarsden2988

Because much like anything else in life it's he who is left holding the goods in the end that gets punished. ... everyone whines but the pens are the flavor of the month.

Lots of teams tried and succeeded but the devils took it too far and got nailed for it....fair is fair. .. ifthe pens are entitled complainers then the devils are circumventing cheaters. .... neither is 100% true but it's the narrative written by the league

fairly certain jsut about anyone here would take karlson or shea weber over letang...
- JLT168

Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Alex Pietrangelo, Drew Doughty, and a host of others are players I would take over Letang.

But that wasn't the conversation at all.

fairly certain jsut about anyone here would take karlson or shea weber over letang...
- JLT168

Not a chance. Weber maybe though. Since we have Pouliot I guess I would take Weber, even though Letang is my favorite player.

Not me. Though you added weber when the conversation was karlson
- dbell646

Weber yes Karlsson no

Reason being, the needs of our team are different. Tanger is now our most physical Dman, I guess other than Cole; Karlsson's physicality doesn't impress me at all, plus he has that creepy Sweedish Zappa. Which is the reason people hate MAF, so im going to use it as a reason to hate Karlsson.



F Sutter

Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Alex Pietrangelo, Drew Doughty, and a host of others are players I would take over Letang.

But that wasn't the conversation at all.
- jmatchett383

Letang is not by any stretch my favorite player, I do like his dirty play; but regardless he doesn't get much respect league wide.

Letang is the best skating d-man in the league, he skates like Paul Coffey; its beautiful to watch.

Letang is not by any stretch my favorite player, I do like his dirty play; but regardless he doesn't get much respect league wide.

Letang is the best skating d-man in the league, he skates like Paul Coffey; its beautiful to watch.
- nbartley9

Yeah thats def true. Best skater on the Pens by far.

I think Letang is a top 10 Dman in the league, sure Id take Weber, but thats like saying Id rather have a Ferrari over a Lambo. Be happy you have him and not someone you have no chance in hell of having instead of him. Its no different than those pissed about the new Big Ben contract. Sure Brady is better, but go find another QB available right now thats as good....you can't!

Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Alex Pietrangelo, Drew Doughty, and a host of others are players I would take over Letang.

But that wasn't the conversation at all.
- jmatchett383

I'd argue that Letang might be better than a few of the names you just mentioned this year, all around.

Not me. Though you added weber when the conversation was karlson
- dbell646

Other than Letang, the D-men I like are: Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty and Shea Weber.

Honestly I wouldn't trade Letang for Suter or Pietrangelo.