Disagree, this is fantastic news for the Pens (about Martin)

I am 90% sure Bylsma benched him rather than it being an injury
- nhindian

they should wade redden him. he is NOT worth that 5 mil cap hit.

Even though Martin has been horrid, this isn't good news for the Pens. Martin, Asham, Adams, and Neal out for this game?

The Flyers have to end this tonight.
- KGBflyers10

That's what I am feeling. With all these key guys possibly out and the Pens maybe forced to dress Reverend Lovejoy.. the time is now..

I can check but was Torres even penalized for the hit?
- Hextall271

No he wasn't. Just like the Neal hit on Couturier wasn't. I have no clue what these refs are (not) doing. It's obvious the game has become too fast for them. Those are obvious INTERFERENCE calls. Both plays should have been 5 min majors and game misconducts imo. You just cannot have players going around and hitting other players who do not have the puck. Especially in instances like these where the guy was not even their check to begin with. Make the call you morons.

Many players, coaches and longtime observers consider Lee among the worst refs in the NHL. At least the other ref tonight, Wes McCauley, is competent.
- bmeltzer

so why is he officiating a playoff game?? These refs really need to be graded on their performances during the season and the top 10 or whatever make the playoffs. Just like the top teams make the playoffs, the rop refs make the playoffs.

i'm gonna start calling couturier nails. the hit he took was like the same thing as the took hossa took. couturier plays shortly after being hit, hossa to the hospital. and by no means am i calling hossa not tought. they both bore the brunt of brutal and cheap hits.

Ok friends, very important question. Think long and hard before you answer please. What.....kind of beer for tonight?

so why is he officiating a playoff game?? These refs really need to be graded on their performances during the season and the top 10 or whatever make the playoffs. Just like the top teams make the playoffs, the rop refs make the playoffs.
- flyersfan51

why was neal only given 1 game? because the league has no clue what it's doing when it comes to officiating and discipline

Ok friends, very important question. Think long and hard before you answer please. What.....kind of beer for tonight?
- Deasr1

weed for me

Flyers 4 Pens 2

Kings 4 Canucks 1

so why is he officiating a playoff game?? These refs really need to be graded on their performances during the season and the top 10 or whatever make the playoffs. Just like the top teams make the playoffs, the rop refs make the playoffs.
- flyersfan51

All the top refs have retired. Reffing is sadly not the profession it once was. It has to catch up with the speed of the game.

Ok friends, very important question. Think long and hard before you answer please. What.....kind of beer for tonight?
- Deasr1

IC Light

Ok friends, very important question. Think long and hard before you answer please. What.....kind of beer for tonight?
- Deasr1

NEWCASTLE

All the top refs have retired. Reffing is sadly not the profession it once was. It has to catch up with the speed of the game.
- rockychocbill

Its hard to believe that the officiating can be this bad. You have a bunch of guys out on the ice to make calls and none of them are doing it.

Im all about letting the players play but some of these hits are obvious penalties.

Ok friends, very important question. Think long and hard before you answer please. What.....kind of beer for tonight?
- Deasr1

Think I'm gonna go with a Sam Adams, not sure what flavor.

For the 3-0 comeback against boston, I drank Blue Moon religously, like from 12 noon on even on off days, because hey, such a comeback only happens once in a Blue Moon. Eventually I found the one it was in.

Its hard to believe that the officiating can be this bad. You have a bunch of guys out on the ice to make calls and none of them are doing it.

Im all about letting the players play but some of these hits are obvious penalties.
- stveshdy

it would NOT surprise me if the league was letting stuff go to get ratings up.

i'm gonna start calling couturier nails. the hit he took was like the same thing as the took hossa took. couturier plays shortly after being hit, hossa to the hospital. and by no means am i calling hossa not tought. they both bore the brunt of brutal and cheap hits.
- flyerscup2011

I like Cooter a lot, but Torres and Neal are two completely different guys. If Couturier was in Hossa's skates last night he's probably still in the hospital. Same "type" of hit? Yes. Different type of hitter though.

Are you? For tonight? Or for the 4-game comeback?
- bodiva88

I don't know why I'm nervous today. I'm confident, but I also know that anything can happen in a series. The last game is always the toughest to win and I fear what happens if Pittsburgh wins 1 game, the type of momentum they would gain.

That said, I don't expect the Flyers to come out flat. This team more than any team other than Boston, understands that a series at 3-0 is never over. I expect them to fully come out hard. Yet, still can't get this jitters to go away.

so why is he officiating a playoff game?? These refs really need to be graded on their performances during the season and the top 10 or whatever make the playoffs. Just like the top teams make the playoffs, the rop refs make the playoffs.
- flyersfan51

They do rate them.

Lee is consistent in that he basically calls everything without concern for the flow of the game. If a guy gets a stick around a player's waist, he'll call the hook whether it impeded the player or not. I'm of the belief that some things don't necessarily need to be called every time.

Sometimes the calls come from 80 feet away from the play. That's what kills me.

Think I'm gonna go with a Sam Adams, not sure what flavor.

For the 3-0 comeback against boston, I drank Blue Moon religously, like from 12 noon on even on off days, because hey, such a comeback only happens once in a Blue Moon. Eventually I found the one it was in.
- JoeRussomanno

c'mon man there are pens fans in here. don't give away our secret

Chris Lee has been an NHL ref since 2000-01 (full-time since 2001-02). He's reffed 659 regular season games. Tonight is just his 5th playoff game assignment.

http://www.nhlofficials.c...isting.asp?member_id=2292

I think that says it all.

c'mon man there are pens fans in here. don't give away our secret
- flyerscup2011

It's allright, I think they wait for the second round of the playoffs to put one in a bottle

I like Cooter a lot, but Torres and Neal are two completely different guys. If Couturier was in Hossa's skates last night he's probably still in the hospital. Same "type" of hit? Yes. Different type of hitter though.
- rockychocbill

torres and neal are both about the same size. couturier and hossa are about the same height, but coots isn't as thick as hoss. torres is known for being a cheap shot, neal is too..... now. force equals mass times acceleration. same mass same acceleration same point of contact, to me says same hit.

NEWCASTLE
- DrMidnite

Someone gave me one of those small kegs of new castle before game 1. Sipped it through the first 3 games but now it's dry. Hope that's not a bad omen.

Its hard to believe that the officiating can be this bad. You have a bunch of guys out on the ice to make calls and none of them are doing it.

Im all about letting the players play but some of these hits are obvious penalties.
- stveshdy

I fear that replays will become more and more a part of the game. The role of the referee is slowly going the way of the goal judge. They just can't keep up.

Someone gave me one of those small kegs of new castle before game 1. Sipped it through the first 3 games but now it's dry. Hope that's not a bad omen.
- funmaster18

Wonderful.