Light's Out for the rest of the NHL

[Big_M]

Uhm, we're still waiting for the NHL to decide to play hockey instead of whatever pre-lockout garbage they're calling now.

they have let calls go on both sides... no one got away with more than the other. Malkin could easily be sitting out the next one, but the NHL didn't want that either.

Wings are not the Caps, I suspect you know this, but if you need to find comfort somewhere, then yeah... anything is possible. Wings outplayed... maybe, maybe not... it was pretty close, except when they were tired and trying to hang on for the win in game 2. Osgood (much to my suprise) is outplaying Fleury, and Sid hasn't done jack. I am sure the Pens will come out strong, but the Wings will play better having had some rest (even though it's still not the amount the schedule had previously promised before the NHL decidied otherwise), and the Pens will have to be at their absolute best to have a chance. The Wings depth will likely prove too much in the end, and I tend to agree with the above poster that they will split in Pitt and finish at the Joe in 5.

[iacas]

they have let calls go on both sides... no one got away with more than the other.

Dude, if you believe that, I've got some oceanfront property in, well, let's just say Idaho to sell ya.

For some reason, like last year, the NHL has reverted to the clutch-and-grab, obstructive, anything-goes, pre-lockout style of hockey. The kind the rules changes were specifically designed to eliminate, the kind that resulted in - among others - Mario Lemieux calling it a "garage league." I've watched a bunch of hockey games this year alone, including about 96 Pens games, and none of them have had these many penalties go uncalled. The Pens didn't slash, break a stick, and score a goal three seconds later. The Pens haven't scored off interference off the faceoff. The Pens haven't put their hands over the puck - twice - in the crease. Yeah, Malkin was pissed. He's got every right to be. Garage league crap. You feel fortunate to have escaped with two wins to this point and somewhere, deep down, I think you know it. Since I doubt the NHL's actually going to start enforcing the rules, I suspect the Pens will simply try to play within the new ("old") clutch-and-grab B.S. rulebook that McCreary and his crew seem to be using. The one that doesn't award penalty shots for pucks covered up in the crease by non-goalies.

[GDWindowpane]

All the calls were made during the Caps/Pens series...

[iacas]

All the calls were made during the Caps/Pens series...

For the most part they were, you're right. If you're responding to my comment, I should have clarified that I meant in the finals only the NHL/refs have reverted to pre-lockout hockey. The first three series in the playoffs, I agree: calls were made (or more precisely, were called the same way as during the regular season).

[GDWindowpane]

I agree with you though... Reminds of Slapshot hockey... My kids love that movie but don't tell their mother...

[Bump-n-MI]

The Pens didn't slash, break a stick, and score a goal three seconds later.

Watch it again in slow-mo….I

guarantee you will change your mind about that one. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/images/uploads/hossa.gif However, there should have been a slashing call, but not against Hossa

[GDWindowpane]

looks conclusive to me...

[iacas]

However, there should have been a slashing call, but not against Hossa

The sad thing is you probably believe that. Dupuis played the puck. Wish the GIF had the two seconds beforehand... but "ok."

Won't matter after Tuesday and Thursday. Series will be knotted back up. And regardless of the outcome, I hope they call a 2009 hockey game with 2009 rules and not a New Jersey Devils/1995 game. It's a lot more exciting when we use the actual rules.

[Bump-n-MI]

The sad thing is you probably believe that. Dupuis played the puck.

umm, no...the refs made the correct call (no call).

Wish the GIF had the two seconds beforehand... but "ok."

Why? That is where the "claimed" infraction occured. That clip

is conclusive.

Won't matter after Tuesday and Thursday. Series will be knotted back up.

That would be great, I'd like to see Detroit win the cup at the Joe

And regardless of the outcome, I hope they call a 2009 hockey game with 2009 rules and not a New Jersey Devils/1995 game. It's a lot more exciting when we use the actual rules.

Agreed, but adaptation is part of the game and pushing the envelope happens in every sport. I'm an old school Eddy Shore hockey guy so I too would like to see them crack down on the clutching and grapping and get back to a more physical style of play. That is a pipe dream however because of the euro invasion.

[MI Rob]

Ah the Pens should have had a too many men on the ice penalty. Had 6 for atleast 20 seconds or so.

[iacas]

umm, no...the refs made the correct call (no call).

Uhm, I was responding to:

However, there should have been a slashing call, but not against Hossa

But anyway...

Why? That is where the "claimed" infraction occured. That clip

Not if Hossa slashed in the two seconds before. It's conceivable his stick broke before, he tried to play the puck, it bent/separated, and he dropped it. But ok, I'll drop that one. Want to talk about the "subtle obstruction" and "subtle interference"?

Agreed, but adaptation is part of the game and pushing the envelope happens in every sport.

Reverting to clutching-and-grabbing rules from 1995 isn't "pushing the envelope," and it makes absolutely no sense to play 99 games one way and then six to seven more games in a totally different way under years that went out over a decade ago. Why'd they go? Because they were killing hockey.

Ah the Pens should have had a too many men on the ice penalty. Had 6 for atleast 20 seconds or so.

Yep. Detroit didn't even notice until the end. So by my tally, the bad calls are now 2 in favor of Pittsburgh and 1,323,042 in favor of Detroit.

OK, I may be exaggerating slightly there. On Pittsburgh's end! Ha ha ha.

[Big_M]

Eric you can't really feel so slighted by the refs... it hasn't been set up to help one team or the other. There has been a lack of calls, but again it has gone both ways (someone mentioned the 6 on 5).

And I'm still a little unsure what you are saying... do you feel that there is some sort of NHL conspiracy to keep the cup in Detroit? If that were the case Malkin would have been suspended and Detroit would have had a weeks rest before the finals.

Also, I'm sure you were quite happy with the call on Erikson (SP?) with 10 to go in the game... and that WAS a good call... he was a jackass for taking that penalty and possibly costing Detroit the game. Lucky for the Pens too because in a do or die game they just barely escaped with a little life.

I doubt very much they can knot this thing up, and even if they do, no chance they'll win in Detroit when necessary.

[iacas]

Eric

Who?

it hasn't been set up to help one team or the other.

So a team that's famously clutchy and grabby is helped just as much as a team that's got perhaps two of the most skilled players in the league under 1995, clutchy/grabby rules? That makes no sense.

There are always missed calls - in the regular season too - but if you think they've been balanced you're either trying to convince yourself of that or you're just being a homer.

And I'm still a little unsure what you are saying... do you feel that there is some sort of NHL conspiracy to keep the cup in Detroit?

Uhm, no, I don't. Why are Detroit fans always leaping to conspiracy theories? From what I've heard, if you read A2Y, that's almost all they talk about.

I think the league doesn't do enough to remind the refs they choose - or to choose better refs - that the SCF should be played under the same rules as the rest of the season and playoffs.

If that were the case ... Detroit would have had a weeks rest before the finals.

Why should they have had a week's rest? That makes no sense. Because a few of them were dinged up? Several Pens were injured last year. It's the SCF! You play! Without whining. Gonchar came back in game 5 last year after being fairly seriously injured in the game. Ryan Malone took a puck in the face and came back (same game, I believe).

Besides, the Penguins had played the night before the Red Wings' last game. If the Red Wings had swept, they'd have had the extra day off that the Pens got by sweeping Carolina. So you're complaining about a difference of one day? Since the teams played on alternating days it was going to happen to one team or another. And how long have you been watching hockey? Playoff teams rarely get a week off unless their next opponent plays seven games while they sweep. A week with no games would be pretty much unheard of.

Also, I'm sure you were quite happy with the call on Erikson (SP?)

You're a fan and you can't even spell your team member's names?

Am I happy that one of the times Detroit has obstructed, interfered, etc. was called? Sure. It's an improvement over zero. A step in the right direction, if you will.

I doubt very much they can knot this thing up, and even if they do, no chance they'll win in Detroit when necessary.

Again, keep telling yourself those things if it makes you feel better. Detroit feels fortunate to have escaped games 1 and 2 with wins, and deep down, you know it. Three shots in the third period last night? Wow.

[Bump-n-MI]

I thought Pens fans would enjoy this

http://www.freep.com/article/2009060...0602068/?imw=Y

But, it goes above and beyond Cindy . Always seems to be people (on both sides) complaining about the officiating. Shoot, I can't remember a playoff series that somebody wasn't complaining about the missed calls. The better team will come out on top. Excuses, whining, complaining, etc….let it go.

One thing I will give Pitt is the ravenous nature and sheer energy the fans showed last night. Going to a wings game is (at times) like going to a seminar…way too many suits and not enough fans.

[iacas]

But, it goes above and beyond Cindy

Time to get some new material. Or did a girl actually level Detroit's second goalie at center ice earlier in the series?

Always seems to be people (on both sides) complaining about the officiating.

That doesn't mean the complaints are legitimate (or not). And it's easy to say "just play" when you're the clutchy-grabby team playing clutchy-grabby rules.

[Bump-n-MI]

Time to get some new material.

Why, that one is not only timeless but is also priceless (and true to a certain extent). He has "matured" a bit from last year but he is still a WLB.

Or did a girl actually level Detroit's second goalie at center ice earlier in the series?

Yes, a girl from Pittsburg. But I hear they grow em big there

.

That doesn't mean the complaints are legitimate (or not). And it's easy to say "just play" when you're the clutchy-grabby team playing clutchy-grabby rules.

Why so bitter? The whistles have always been swallowed during the playoffs. Until it is called it is perfectly legal

.

[iacas]

Why, that one is not only timeless but is also priceless (and true to a certain extent). He has "matured" a bit from last year but he is still a WLB.

He wasn't whiny last year. I'll admit he whined a bit his first two years, but describing a name you call someone as "timeless" and "priceless" makes you look intellectually stunted. Particularly so when the name is something that's completely devoid of any cleverness whatsoever - it's something a third-grader could think of. "Ooooh, I know, let's call him a

girl's name! " Go ahead and keep calling him that - it says a lot more about you than anything else.

Yes, a girl from Pittsburg. But I hear they grow em big there

Crosby's from Canada. Where's "Pittsburg"?

Why so bitter? The whistles have always been swallowed during the playoffs. Until it is called it is perfectly legal

Have you bothered to read the past few posts? My beef is that the SCF are being played under different rules. The whistles have not been swallowed in the playoffs. Maybe in the second half of the third period of a close game, but I've watched every playoff game by the Pens and about 1/4 of the others. The whistles have not been "put away" in the playoffs - just the last three games.

It's like playing under the Rules of Golf for 71 holes and then telling the last twosome, tied for the lead, that they were going to have a Big Break style competition instead of actual golf (analogy fail in the regard that there's no "clutch/grab/obstruct/interfere" synonym in golf).

[GDWindowpane]

My two favorites are the Pittsburgh Pigeons (been using that one for years and it is truely timeless)... And new to me this year, "Ovenchicken"... Made me laugh hard and I'm a Caps fan!