Jedi

Game on! Let's go boys! ZDH to start the period.

Bad first minute, but great first period. Don't like that we started slowly again, but it is great to see us get right into the game in the first frame! We had some early adversity, but we ground out control of the game and now we're flying all over the ice. That goal in the last minute was HUGE. Always a killer time to get a goal. And that was an absolutely WICKED deflection by Franzenstein.

KRONNER!!!FRANZEN!!!

We've been really good on the faceoffs tonight too. I'm liking the way we've responded so far.

It was in the mind of the ref. He was out of position, lost sight of it thinking that Hiller had it, so he made the decision to make the call. Decision made, play dead. No arguing the point. I don't agree with the call at all, and I'm not defending the ref for losing sight of the puck. It was a horrible mistake on his part, and yes it cost us the game. But the rules are the rules...

This kind of thing happens more often than I think most people realize. This rule has been around for as long as I can remember it, so I'm quite surprised that you've never heard of it before. It's a total judgement call by the ref. As soon as he makes up his mind to call the play dead, it's dead. And since there's no way to go back and use video review to determine exactly when the Ref made up his mind to call the play dead, it has to defer to the refs judgement every time. In this case, the ref made up his mind to call the play dead before the puck was in the net, but didn't get a chance to blow the whistle until afterwards. Doesn't matter that the puck made it in the net. Doesn't matter that it's a wrong call (because clearly Hiller never had the puck). All that matters is the ref made up his mind to call it dead. That's why he waved no goal.

Please discuss in the GDT, thank you.

In this case, it came down to the Ref's intent to blow the whistle. This call can't be reviewed, because the issue isn't a matter of where the puck is. The ref lost sight of the puck, and had intended to blow the whistle dead, thinking that Hiller had the puck. Obviously, Hiller didn't have the puck, but since the ref had decided to blow the whistle, even though the puck was in the net before the whistle blew, the ref had intended to blow the whistle sooner, thus the play is ruled dead. There's no reviewing the ref's intent to blow the whistle.

I'm not one to lay blame for losing on the refs, and clearly had we showed for up for the full 60 minutes, we wouldn't have needed that goal. But still, to giftwrap this game to the ducks like that is absolutely horrible. I thought the ref's job was to watch the puck, and know where it is at all times. Why is it that the only person in the building (other than Hiller) who DIDN'T know where the puck was is the Ref deep in the zone? Absolute worst excuse for officiating I have seen in the playoffs thus far. But I'm more pissed that in a pivotal game like this, we didn't really show up until midway through the 2nd period.

THAT is the worst call I've seen all series long.

OH MY GOD. WHAT A LAME TIME TO CALL THE WHISTLE...

Gotta give credit to the Ducks. They are doing an incredible job limiting our chances against Hiller. They haven't given us any good looks in the slot, they've kept sticks and bodies in the passing and shooting lanes all night. The few chances we're getting, there's a stick or leg in the way every single time.

Good pressure boys. Keep it up!!!

And another PP coming up...

THe ice looks like it's got to be really bad. Players blowing a tire all over the place.

PP coming up. This is it. This is as much of a "must-score" situation as we've had all year.

Better end to that period. Stinks that we had to let the 2nd goal in on that weak call. If they continue to carry the play, win the battles to the loose pucks, and crash the net on shots, then they'll give themselves chances to bury a few past Hiller.

Phenomenal kill there. Great pressure with the shorthanded chances too.

Third time tonight we've been given a penalty when we have the puck. That's GOT to stop.

Nice job Z. See. Traffic in front. Plus shots on net. Equals rebounds. Sometimes equals goals.

PP coming up. Wiz is down, looks like he accidentally got elbowed by Homer.

Bad goal to give up on a bad penalty. Bad penalty, as in a bad call, not that Stewie did anything worse than what the Ducks have done all night/series to us.

Stuart to the box. Weak call for interference there. That's just a good hit. Big kill here.

Well, the players smiled for the pics. And they didn't ask/force her to leave, so I'd say that the Wings didn't think it was out of line. They didn't have a problem with it, and in this instance their opinion of it is what mattered. So, to me, that means their opinion of the events makes your opinion irrelevant. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irrelevant

Doesn't look like they were put back by it to me. I doubt VIB was shoving things in their face to autograph, or pestering them with questions every 5 seconds, or asking them to pose every minute for pictures. Looks like she and the other photographer were far enough away to not be a distraction. No biggie IMO. And I'm sure if it were as big a deal as you think it is, it wouldn't be hard for someone on the team to ask for security to escort the people away from the area. Good to see the guys loose, relaxing, and with smiles all about. Looks like they'll be in the right frame of mind for the game.