Penguins take one on the chin from the Devils, 3-1
by JustinM on Mar 12, 2010 10:13 PM EST
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This game started like a barnburner with two goals in the first two and a half minutes, one from Patrik Elias off of very springy end boards and one from Sidney Crosby before it settled into the sort of familiar dump and chase exhibition one gets when taking in a Devils game. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the first period ended in what seemed like five minutes after a ton of blocked shots for Penguins--punctuated by a pipe from Alexei Ponikarovsky--and for the Devils.
The second period started out with a holding penalty on Kris Letang followed by a patently ridiculous charging major plus game misconduct called on Craig Adams, who not only clearly wasn't taking strides before checking Martin Skoula into the end boards, but also pulled up a bit before making contact. I'd have agreed with a 2 minute boarding, but the call was insane. However, the Devils' mediocre power play wasn't even able to get anything started in those five minutes, and the Penguins used the boost to...take more penalties.
Marc-Andre Fleury was sharp, though, and that enabled the Penguins to get through the multitudinous penalties, including a penalty shot for none other than Ilya Kovalchuk, career 9-for-36 in the shootout.
The final regulation stanza started with a fight between Matt Cooke and Rob Niedermayer. Niedermayer apparently was channeling Maxime Talbot, because shortly after the fight, Andy Greene launched an absolute rocket over the glove hand of Fleury to give the Devils a 2-1 lead.
Not to be outdone by Cooke and Niedermayer, Jamie Langenbrunner decided to shove Chris Kunitz into the Penguins bench and then join him there in one of the most bizarre situations I've seen in recent years. Unfortunately, the Penguins couldn't take advantage of the ensuing power play. Instead, Travis Zajac knocked Fleury's glove out of the way while he was trying to make a save on a Kovalchuk floater from center point, and the shot sailed into the goal free and clear. The refs decided to swallow their whistles, and so the Devils took a 3-1 lead.
After a few game-saving stops from Brodeur and a fantastic stacked-pad save for Fleury on Langenbrunner, the Penguins net stood empty. The Penguins prevented the extra goal, but their offense couldn't bridge the gap. Game.
- Martin Brodeur looked like his typical overworked self to start with, having started seemingly the last 62 games in a row (albeit "only" 13). He woke up, though, and held off quite a few flurries in front of his net in the first and third periods.
- Even though the Penguins had 13 shots in the first period, they were from an average of 35.5 feet away. Only five were from areas that are actually high-percentage areas like the slot or crease. One of them went in off the stick of Crosby.
- Continuing in that theme, in the penalty-ridden second period, the Devils had 19 shots, 11 of them in the prime scoring area. The Penguins had 7, only 2 of which were quality. This is the sort of thing that happens when you take a ton of penalties against a team that plays the trap.
- Both Devils goals in the third period came from outside 40 feet: the first on Greene's rocket, the second on Zajac's uncalled goaltender interference.
- The Penguins took 10 penalties. True, the Devils didn't score on the power play even once (going 0-for-5), but the Pens spent a substantial amount of time playing down a man and that cut into their offensive zone time significantly. This cannot continue if the Penguins expect to continue to lead the division.
- Evgeny Malkin was nigh-on invisible.
- If you want good news, Sid went 11-for-18 at the faceoff dot tonight, continuing his dominance in that realm.
All in all, the Penguins fought off a tough Devils team through two periods before finally caving in the third. The score seemed to be about right to me given the flow of the game, even though I'd have expected the goals to come during the second period when the Penguins were outmatched rather than in the third while the Penguins were actually getting some offensive pressure.
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Actually, that call on Adams was absolutely right. Colin White did something similar to Sean Bergenheim against the Islanders back in January where hit him from behind into the glass and drew some blood. That garnered him a 5 minute major and a game misconduct as well.
The hit was after the whistle, which definitely wasn’t in Adams’ favor in the eyes the ref.
Shame about the third goal, I felt your team got a bad break there per the rules (penalties can’t be reviewed by tape, it’s in Rule 69.1); but at the end of the day – it doesn’t mean much as the Pens only scored one.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
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Not bad for your first ever PensBurgh recap, JustinM.
If you don’t mind, some thoughts from the enemy perspective:
I didn’t know that Craig Adams got tossed for charging until I went online and looked at the score sheet after the game. At the time, I initially assumed he was receiving a major penalty for boarding, not charging, even though I believe the former is only a four-minute infraction, not five. Perhaps the officials saw something we didn’t, but I think boarding would have been a much more appropriate penalty, as what Adams did doesn’t quite fit the infraction for charging as defined in the NHL rulebook. However, Adam’s did manage to cut open Skoula’s face on the play, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned about NHL refs, it’s that if someone is bleeding, it’s almost always an automatic major. Given the amount of focus that has been placed on eradicating headshots from the game as of late and the officials propensity to freak out at the sight of blood, I was not particularly surprised that they overreacted and slammed Adams with a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
Which brings me on to the next topic: the Devils power play. As a Devils fan, I’ve always rather thought that New Jersey’s approach to the power play has been similar to that taken in football, that is, you can decline them. However, I really couldn’t care less if the Devils never scored another power play goal again, as long as their penalty kill doesn’t let up any goals, thereby removing special teams as a factor in the outcome of the game, something they have done remarkably well at against the Penguins this season. And although this has never ceased to amaze me, the Devils always seem to play better five-on-five than they do with the man advantage. I have no idea why this is, but there you go.
And I don’t know what it was about this game, but it certainly seemed to help Marty get his groove back, which, as a Devils fan, was nice to see. He’d been showing flashes of his former brilliance in the past few games (including an awesome acrobatic save against the Rangers the other night) but tonight was the first time in a while that he managed to put in a performance consistent with the level he is capable of playing at. The last two periods were vintage Brodeur, though he did get a lot of help from his defense. Part of the reason the Penguins struggled to get shots off close to the net was because the Devils defense did a good job keeping them to the perimeter. The rest of the time, they counted on Marty to make the first save and did a good job of cleaning up any rebounds Marty left (though Marty has spent much of his career perfecting putting rebounds onto the sticks of his defensemen into an art form).
All in all, I thought it was a good, hotly contested game, and by far the best I’ve seen the Penguins play against the Devils all season.
a major penalty for boarding, not charging, even though I believe the former is only a four-minute infraction, not five.
FYI – all major penalties are 5 minutes.
Just my opinion, but Adams’ hit doesn’t quite fit either charging or boarding. Boarding mentions the player being thrown violently into the boards. Skoula wasn’t so much thrown into the glass, but smashed into it. I guess the refs figured it was close enough to either charging or boarding to go ahead and make the call.
I agree about the Devils PP. I don’t see why they even bother putting 5 forwards out there, unless they like seeing Matt Cooke look foolish on his shorthanded chances.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 12, 2010 11:16 PM EST up reply actions
My beef with the Adams call was:
a) it wasn’t charging by any definition of charging
b) it wasn’t a hit from behind
c) Adams pulled up before he made contact
d) Adams used his shoulder to make contact with Skoula not on his head or his back
e) it was the sort of hit that happens several times every game
If you want to give Adams a minor for boarding because Skoula wasn’t all the way up against the boards, fine. It was only the cut Skoula got from the glass that made the refs call a major or a game. It was a classic case of penalizing the result instead of the actual hit.
Whereas you have something like this hit with Bryce Salvador’s hands and stick in Rupp’s face that didn’t even get so much as a cross look from the referees.
This is hockey. There are lots of sharp things, lots of hard things, and lots of things moving really fast. Occasionally, someone’s going to get cut and it’s nobody’s fault. In this case, Skoula’s cut was over his eye. What do you want to bet it’s because his helmet was too loose and that cut him?
Of Adams’ hit, Skoula said, “It was after the whistle, obviously. Everybody knew it was going to be an icing.”
Except it wasn’t icing, it was a high stick on the puck.
Tough night when 11-for-18 on faceoffs is the best news we can come up with. But hey, Geno went 5-for-8. Gotta look for that silver lining, I guess.
Justin, too bad your first recap had to be for this game.
Unlike the Caps, whom the Pens had trouble beating in the regular season last year (and this year, for that matter) only to eliminate them in the playoffs, I am much more concerned about a potential series against New Jersey. We just don’t seem to have an answer for them.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 12, 2010 11:07 PM EST reply actions
Atrocious offciating
And very one-sided. The Penguins worked hard, and I feel that the outcome could have been different if they hadn’t spent half the game on the PK — not to mention the Devils infractions that were overlooked. The goaltender interference was the worst… poor Fleury. I don’t blame him for yelling at the official.
But, a stellar first recap.
agreed on the officiating...
not only the penalties, but some off-sides and icings… and the third Devils goal… a real spoiler in an otherwise hard-fought playoff-like game.
May be the call on Adams was right “by the book”, but come on! first of all it wasn’t a charge by any means, but OK, let’s call it a board… second – the play wasn’t icing and Adams knew it and went ahead with the forecheck, but the refs actually blew the whistle on a puck played with a high stick and Adams did pull up before the hit although he, yes, finished it, but is that what you call a violent hit?! or a dangerous hit?! it wasn’t even from behind! … in the end the only reason we got slammed with a 5 min major and the misconduct is because Skoula was accidentally cut on the play.
Anyway… all in all I generally agree with Justin that the result was a deserved one…
You have to see it for yourself...
Tough loss. The only thing that made this loss more frustrating is knowing tehchico was sitting a section under Hooks and I had no way of telling him (Hooks’ phone has been acting up on him).
I hate to be the one to bring up the jinx/prediction factor, but John from ILWT texted me before the third and asked what my prediction was. “Pens break down defensively, Devils win 3-1.”
Sigh. Can I pick em or what?
And I agree with the above – solid first recap Justin.
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Dude, you are like a crystal ball. I may once have sworn never to go to Vegas because it’s the tackiest place on earth, but I would love to tag along if you ever go. Unreal predictions.
Sad face.
I didn’t want to believe it but something told me they were going to do a Carolina Part II, only this time in regulation.
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tehchico was sitting a section under Hooks and I had no way of telling him
Couldn’t you have gone over to where he was and told him?
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 12:09 AM EST up reply actions
Technically yes, but when you limit that time to in between periods it doesn’t leave a lot of room. Plus Section 15 and 215 (if I remember correctly) is quite the escalator ride apart.
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Just giving you a hard time, really. I don’t like getting up for anything, even between periods.
Sorry you guys had to endure this one. Let’s hope for something more like this on the 17th:
.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 12:29 AM EST up reply actions
Don’t worry I made the hike up to see Hooks..He starred at me blankly (or maybe he was just a little too “happy”), until I told him who it was…haha. All and All, shame the Pens lost, but I did get to meet Frank and Hooks, moral victory.
"Let the Rabbits wear glasses"
I’m not used to people recognizing me like that.
Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.
You’re a celebrity Mr. Hooks. Accept that and the rest is easy
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I’d like to start a discussion regarding some of my thoughts from the game.
- Our blue line isn’t good on either side of the puck. They let opposing forwards enter the zone with a ton of space, and they lose 75% of the battles along the boards when fighting for the puck after it’s dumped in. Not to mention, they’re not the best with the first pass out of the zone (to put it politely). With regards to offense, Gonch is the only guy who can reliably put the puck either on net, or in a position down low to score. Every other defensemen either has a weak to moderate shot (in terms of speed) or very poor accuracy. It’s time to realize that we have a blue line that is sub par.
- Guerin has lost more than one step in his play. He can score garbage goals in front of the net on the powerplay all he wants, but his lack of speed and energy will hurt this team more in the long run. He can’t play with Sid effectively anymore, and it becomes even more painfully obvious with each passing game. He needs to be demoted permanently, and the coaches might even be wise to scratch him for a couple of games.
- Fedetenko is very bad, in almost every aspect of the game.
- Malkin is not worth 8.7 million dollars right now. More frankly, he’s not where Crosby is as a player. We have enormous expectations for him due to his paycheck, and this entire season (and this game especially) he’s not earned his keep. He needs to step it up and bring it every shift.
We have enormous expectations for him due to his paycheck
I think the expectations are based more on what we know Geno is capable of. If he can get it going in the playoffs, then he’ll earn every penny.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 12:35 AM EST up reply actions
In regards to Fedetenko, 100% agree. He’s not working on that line with Poni and Malkin. If Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin is going to stay together, I think Dupuis earned his chance on line 2. He might be able to crash the zone, work the corners, and free up some room on the ice for the others.
I even think Dupuis has earned a spot on line 1. That’s where Bylsma started him tonight, probably based on his recent performance. I wish some of the other forwards would play with the same energy and dedication.
On LGP, some of the posters were questioning DB’s decision to take Duper off the third line and put him on the first line, during the Carolina game, after the 3rd line had produced two goals. DB is a players coach; if you’re playing well, he rewards you. It easily could’ve paid off with the glorious chances the first line had after the switch and it paid off last night with the Duper to Kuny to Sid for the goal.
871
by PensFan8725 on Mar 13, 2010 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
I actually thought the call on Adams was right, as well. I don’t know why he even hit Skoula. It was a stupid play.
What was the interference with Fleury on the third goal? I’m assuming Zajac slashed his glove because he didn’t run into him.
But the overall problem tonight was the shot selection was downright awful. Everything came blatantly from the outside. Whenever someone had space in the middle, they dished it off to the side in hopes of closing in closer. No one crashed the net at all tonight. It was an awful display of attack and forecheck.
by lostprophetRJX on Mar 13, 2010 2:54 AM EST up reply actions
No one crashed the net at all tonight. It was an awful display of attack and forecheck.
This I agree with. If the Penguins want to beat the Devils in the regular season, let alone in the playoffs, they’re going to have to change their game plan, as much as Dan Bylsma obviously does not want to do that. At their best, the Devils are a team that forces their opponent to play outside their comfort zone, meaning that they force other teams to react to they way they play rather than allow them to dictate the pace. The Penguins need to get over the fact that the majority of the time, they are not going to be able to play the kind up of up-tempo, puck possession game (a style which places a large emphasis on offense to mesh with the offensively gifted players on the Penguins roster) that they like to play against a team as defensively proficient as the Devils. I think the Penguins focus too much on attempting to make the ‘pretty’ plays, not realizing that hockey is not figure skating, and there are no points awarded for style. I know a lot of people dislike the way the Devils play (though I’ve noticed that they only have a real problem with it when the Devils are using it to beat their team), but I don’t think that there is anyone who can impartially deny that when executed properly, it is extremely effective. The Devils have never cared very much how they win, they care only about winning, and they play the way that gives them the best chance of doing just that. So far this season, they’ve outscored the Penguins 21-3, which tells me the Penguins need to focus less on offense and more on tightening up defensively and scoring some ugly goals when the opportunity presents itself if they want to beat the Devils.
by kellyn on Mar 13, 2010 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
<.defensive penguin fan mode>
Keep in mind, this is regular season. Not sure if you saw much of last year’s playoffs, but there wasn’t much figure skating going on by Pittsburgh. They’ll know how to handle your Devils when the time comes.
</defensive penguin fan mode>
You make some good points, but let’s see how it goes in the postseason.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
I openly acknowledge that what happens in the regular season does not always have much bearing upon what occurs in the playoffs. There I have learned that it is often best to expect the unexpected. I care very little if the Devils win the Atlantic Division or finish the regular season in fourth place, as I believe they often play better when not seeded amongst the top three of the conference. However, I should think the Penguins would like to at least win one game against the Devils during the regular season, as it is one thing to know you can beat a team at least once and quite another to hope you can beat a team in the playoffs without ever having beat them in the regular season despite having six tries.
I’d almost settle for the Pens getting more than 1 goal in the game on the 17th.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 6:21 PM EST up reply actions
All I’m saying is there were a WHOLE lot of Caps fans talking smack after having the Pens’ number in the regular season last year, and in case you have forgotten, the Caps went on to lose 4 of the last 5 games of their 7-game series against Pittsburgh.
So please, revel in the glory now, but make sure you come back with your “hockey is not figure skating” crap after your team is sent off to an early summer vacation.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 6:39 PM EST up reply actions
My intention was not to ‘talk smack’ or ‘revel in the glory’ of the Devils victory over the Penguins; I was merely attempting to delineate what I, as a hockey fan and an impartial observer of the game, think the Penguins must do if they want to end their slide against the Devils on March 17 and going into the playoffs. What I meant when I said my “‘hockey is not figure skating’ crap” was that points in the regular season standings are awarded solely for winning games, not for which team makes the prettiest plays or what team plays the most exciting style of hockey.
Because the Penguins have in Crosby, Malkin and Gonchar, to name a few, so many players who are capable of making breathtaking offensive plays, I think that they sometimes forget that when some of their players are slumping, as Malkin has been recently, they can revert to playing a simpler, grittier, game that is just as effective in terms of winning rather than attempting to force it, like they seem to be doing now. I watch the Penguins play a lot, because as the defending Stanley Cup champions, I am aware that if the Devils are to go anywhere in the playoffs, the road will most likely at some point go through Pittsburgh, and I feel that when the Penguins struggle, they have a tendency to try to hard to make the pretty play rather than go for a garbage goal, which counts just as much on the scoreboard.
Also, I want to make it clear that I’m not intentionally trying to goad you, I am just trying to discuss hockey with other people who share my love for the sport, so I apologize if I have come across as hostile to you in any way at all, as your responses to my comments would seem to indicate. I’m not trying to create conflict or make outlandish playoff predictions based on the regular season. That’s not my style. I just want to talk hockey, and Pensburgh has some very intelligent hockey fans who I enjoy discussing the game with. It’s also nice to be around other hockey fans who dislike the Flyers and the Rangers almost as much as I do. XD
First, how are you, as a Devils fan, an impartial observer of the game?
I can accept that maybe you weren’t trying to goad me, and I’m sure your comments look pretty tame to everyone else, especially given what we are used to reading from fans of Flyers, Rangers, Caps, etc. I have not found you to be hostile, but there is an undertone of arrogance that just isn’t sitting well with me.
Based on your comments, you obviously know exactly what the Pens’ game plan is, and what is in the head of Dan Bylsma. You have compared the Pens to figure skaters who don’t know what hockey is really about. You say that they only try to make pretty plays, and imply that they are not a gritty team.
If you have watched them play recently, including last night, you would know that pretty much all they have been doing lately is throw pucks on net. Granted, one or two guys may try to dangle a bit much for my taste, but on the whole the team that I’ve been watching does not closely resemble the team that you are describing.
Obviously, a scoring margin of 21-3 is pretty dominant, but are you going to try to convince me that the Devils have been dominating each game? Last night’s game could have easily gone the other way. Marty has been bringing his best each game against the Pens, otherwise we could have seen some very different outcomes.
I hope I am not offending you by challenging your assertions. Having a hockey discussion does not always have to involve people pretending to be nice to each other, but at the same time, if you think I have crossed the line then please let me know.
I have nothing against the Devils’ playing style. Any bitterness that I have against New Jersey is for basically allowing the Rangers to win the Cup in 94. If not for that, we could all still be cheering 1940 at Rangers games.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 8:13 PM EST up reply actions
Eh, she’s been a PensBurgh member for quite a while and adopted the Penguins as her team in the playoffs last year after the Devils were out. She’s even gone so far as to say that she’s a fan of the team so long as the Devils aren’t playing.
And let’s face it, what she’s asking the team to do is exactly what they do when they win games against teams like Philadelphia.
I have nothing against the Devils’ playing style. Any bitterness that I have against New Jersey is for basically allowing the Rangers to win the Cup in 94. If not for that, we could all still be cheering 1940 at Rangers games.
Haha, nice.
She’s even gone so far as to say that she’s a fan of the team so long as the Devils aren’t playing.
In that case, the Pens should enjoy her full support after the 1st round of the playoffs.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 14, 2010 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I know a lot of people dislike the way the Devils play (though I’ve noticed that they only have a real problem with it when the Devils are using it to beat their team), but I don’t think that there is anyone who can impartially deny that when executed properly, it is extremely effective.
Yeah, that’s true. The only reason I only have a problem with it when the Devils play the Penguins is that I don’t watch them any other time. I prefer to watch fast-moving, end to end games, not trap games. If I were a Devils fan and watched them all the time, either I’d be a big fan of that style, or I wouldn’t be a hockey fan at all.
I don’t know why he even hit Skoula. It was a stupid play.
Confused….why wouldn’t he hit Skoula?
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 13, 2010 8:53 AM EST up reply actions
It was a stupid play. but I must admit that when Skoula went to the box for a penalty (before or after that play, i can’t remember) I let out a hearty HAH – HAH. I also think that PK on the 5 minute major was huge. It’s kinda deflating for a team to rally together and kill that off AND a 2-minute minor right after that and still manage to lose.
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Zajac poked Fleury’s glove away with his stick just as Fleury was about to snatch the puck out of the air. It wasn’t violent and wouldn’t cause any injury, but somehow I find this type of interference more egregious than the usual physical crowding of the goalie. It’s just not fair play.
Not that the two were similar but they are certainly in the same realm – what about that “slashing” call on Rupp when he poked away at it and Marty had it covered? Even Devils fans were saying it was a weak call. And frankly a few of them in my section agreed that the third Devs goal should’ve been disallowed. But whatever. As I told them, do it in the playoffs and I’ll pay attention.
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Malkin and Feds need a sip of whatever the hell Dupuis is drinking, Geno especially. The former is becoming the hockey equivalent of Julius Peppers.
Who is Julius Peppers, and why don’t you want Malkin or Fedotenko to be compared to him? (If it’s a sports reference, I have to warn you the only sport I actively follow is hockey; I don’t understand basketball and baseball and football bore me. And you don’t even want to get me started on soccer.)
Julius Peppers is a pretty awesome name. But I love hockey players’ names the best. In what other sport could you find a Darius Kasparitus or a Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond?
P-L L-L has to have the longest name in NHL history at this point. I know Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre had the longest name in the NHL during his day, at least.
Julius Peppers is a Defensive End in the NFL. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Carolina Panthers, and just now signed a huge contract with Chicago. He’s infamous for having freakish amounts of natural talent, but for not utilizing it every game.
This has been my problem with Geno since I became a Pens fan(around 07 when a friend got me into hockey), and why I scoff whenever someone says Geno’s better than Sid. Sid brings his best effort every game, and works diligently to improve on his flaws. Geno unfortunately doesn’t.
by SlayerGhaleon on Mar 13, 2010 1:27 PM EST up reply actions
I do think that Sid is better than Geno, but that’s just because Sid works harder than anybody else. I think Geno’s biggest problem is his mental toughness. All the skills are there but when he doesn’t believe in himself, you get a half hearted effort and a guy that gets taken off his game easily. So uhh where was Geno last night after the game got chippy? The Devils took him off his game and that happened way too easily.
871
This has been my problem with Geno since I became a Pens fan(around 07 when a friend got me into hockey), and why I scoff whenever someone says Geno’s better than Sid. Sid brings his best effort every game, and works diligently to improve on his flaws. Geno unfortunately doesn’t.
Though I hate to be that person and make myself sound almost as xenophobic as Don Cherry, that seems to be an extremely common theme among Russian hockey players, particularly the talented ones. Alexander Semin is the poster-child for this stereotype. I actually think that in terms of pure talent and finesse with the puck, he is a better player than his teammate, the other Alex, Ovechkin, but because he doesn’t work as hard and tends to shy away from the physical aspects of the game his true potential will never be realized. Unfortunately, talent in and of itself is not always enough. One must have the drive to utilize that talent for it to be worth anything, which, as you pointed out, Sidney Crosby has in spades. That’s why I believe he’s the best player in the National Hockey League.
very well said…now go tell Mike Milbury to say that rather than call them “euro-trash.”
871
by PensFan8725 on Mar 13, 2010 10:04 PM EST up reply actions
After Boston, the call on Adams (or any Penguin that night) was an incident waiting to happen. If anyone thinks the refs either didn’t all decide they would become the new sheriffs in the wild west or that Marshall Dillon told them to be, they need to watch some old time hockey with the likes of Ashe and Friday (who once reportedly called a penalty and told the player it was because he was on an expansion team and expansion teams deserve penalties).
The thought of “official’s” retribution and enforcement causes players to react totally differently than they would in a normal game. I’m familiar with it from playing college football and watching even up calls down the road (even though that was way back in the 60s. Honest, the refs did the partisan, even-up thing then, too!).
The bad part of this is I don’t think it’s over. While the yo-yo from out west “showed up” a ref, the (legitimate) non-call on cook made them all think they were shown up again.
Partisanship exists in all sports, whether unintentional or being told to do so to a particular player or team.
Just wait til the Pens play Boston. They will be so afraid of hitting anyone and getting a junk call, I wouldn’t be surprised if the score reached double digits. Maybe they should just mail in the points or pay the fine and forfeit the game.
One last thing…a LOT of rules need changing. This isn’t 70s hockey any longer and if there are faster, stronger, rougher players now, then the rules from Lord Stanley’s Time are way overdue for at least updating.
Great points on partizanship!
I totally agree with ref comment. It is the same all over the world for every professional sport. Most of the time the refs are d*mned if they call or d*mned if they don’t!
Yes, way to go Isles! At least they managed to get their 1st win of the season against NJ!
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 14, 2010 1:09 AM EST up reply actions
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