This was predicted. If the Leafs play with an edge, there will be a steady parade to the penalty box.

Now Bunting. This is comical.
- Aetherial

I know we are biased in our views on officiating but this feels accurate tonight.

It’s like there is a secret book that outlines how to get away with stuff and what you can and can’t get away with & the Leafs just never got a copy. Lol

Kerfoot with a shorty with a great effort by Brodie

BOO Yeah!!!
- dmnted

Oh absolutely. The inconsistency is outrageous. Like laughably bad. I am stunned there are clueless waffles who think the league favours the Leafs.
- UsernameUnknown

I never bought into refs rig games. There just isn’t any consistency & it drives any fanbase crazy. Hurts the NHL brand big imo.

Bunting what was that??
- dozerD10

A David Clarkson special.

It's happening

I never bought into refs rig games. There just isn’t any consistency & it drives any fanbase crazy. Hurts the NHL brand big imo.
- Nighthawk

Rig? No. Manage? Yes. Sometimes they manage it very poorly, despite their obvious pure intentions.

These refs are terrible…..realistically that wasn’t a penalty against Matthews.


I hate how much influence they can have on a game.

I know we are biased in our views on officiating but this feels accurate tonight.

It’s like there is a secret book that outlines how to get away with stuff and what you can and can’t get away with & the Leafs just never got a copy. Lol
- Cush29

You nailed it. What I feel is really going on is that it gets used as an excuse. It becomes lore after a while.

Now Tampa gets a penalty I am not even sure they deserved. The Leafs were already (frank)ed over though before a call gets made.

I never bought into refs rig games. There just isn’t any consistency & it drives any fanbase crazy. Hurts the NHL brand big imo.
- Nighthawk

they absolutely try their hand at game management though. It just falls apart when there are calls they can't ignore, but do, and everybody's confused.

Just call it the same every game, call everything. They'll get it eventually. When clutch and grab 90s/00s came to an end, tons and tons of calls, but the players learned and the game got a lot better.

Call everything. They'll figure it out.

These refs are terrible…..realistically that wasn’t a penalty against Matthews.


I hate how much influence they can have on a game.
- bryant

Tampa did not deserve a penalty there. It was as weak as the call on lybushkin

Why the F are they pulling the goalie?!

Tampa did not deserve a penalty there. It was as weak as the call on lybushkin

Why the F are they pulling the goalie?!
- Aetherial

The only thing wrong was no time out

I never bought into refs rig games. There just isn’t any consistency & it drives any fanbase crazy. Hurts the NHL brand big imo.
- Nighthawk

I think the referees are simply too stupid to understand they're doing a terrible job, let alone have enough intelligence or stratagem to call penalties favorably one way or the other.

Ie- If they tried to call a game lopsidedly, they'd somehow—and unknowingly—(frank) it up.

Tampa did not deserve a penalty there. It was as weak as the call on lybushkin

Why the F are they pulling the goalie?!
- Aetherial

6 v 4 > 5 v 4? Maybe?

Tampa did not deserve a penalty there. It was as weak as the call on lybushkin

Why the F are they pulling the goalie?!
- Aetherial

Not a fan of pulling the goalie here.

6 v 4 > 5 v 4? Maybe?
- drexel

Meh...too many people on the ice.

Too much corner picking and not enough getting the GD puck on net.

No quit & made for a good ending leading into game 3.

Too little too late.

Meh...too many people on the ice.
- Fakepartofme

I’m willing to bet 6 on 4 has a higher goals for percentage

Rig? No. Manage? Yes. Sometimes they manage it very poorly, despite their obvious pure intentions.
- joel878

Yes I agree refs manage games & it’s pathetic.

6 v 4 > 5 v 4? Maybe?
- drexel

I hate this trend of pulling the goalie earlier the last few years.

Strong finish by the Leafs makes the smug faces go away

We only have ourselves to beat here, because this TBL team isn't really scaring me at all.

Game 3, let's goooooooooooo

cue a couple cheapies to Tampa now so that at the end of the game everyone can say the penalties were more or less evened out.
- Aetherial

So true - what a disgrace

I know we are biased in our views on officiating but this feels accurate tonight.

It’s like there is a secret book that outlines how to get away with stuff and what you can and can’t get away with & the Leafs just never got a copy. Lol
- Cush29

Exactly.

The leafs are known as clean/soft team by every other team in the league. Somehow they end up with the most suspensions and stupid ass penalties called against them. It’s frustrating as hell.