Babcock talks about 3rd period comebacks...

[egroen 384]

http://communities.canada.com/windsorstar/...eye-injury.aspx

Babcock also gave some consideration as to the cause behind so many third-period comebacks in the NHL so far this season. "There’s always a lot of penalties," he said. "I don’t know why, but the team that’s ahead gets penalized lots. I know that for a fact. That usually helps it out. I don’t know, is it more young kids in the league, so there’s more mistakes? Is it just more speed and you can’t slow people down? I don’t know the answer, but I know usually when we talk about something in the first 20 games, by the 60-game mark it’s all sorted out and it’s probably not true anymore."

Look, the Wings had no business losing that game last night and it was not penalties which lost them the game -- obviously it was Samuelsson (I kid, I kid... the defense sucked last night; we all know it).

But last night in the third period when the Wings were up 5-2, I literally said to my wife -- "Here come the penalties" and sure enough, two penalties called on the Wings within 5 seconds of play. Are you watching other games? It happens to almost every team that starts to run away with a game, they start getting called for a slew of penalties.

Is it a conscious effort by the refs? In which case are we talking about an actual conspiracy to keep NHL games close. Man, I hope not... but it is tough to argue that there is not something going on. Maybe it is as simple that a team getting beaten has the ear of the refs when they are getting penalized and that the whining and "But you missed them doing ____" makes a big difference. Obviously the winning team is not going to be complaining much to the refs. The "make-up" calls have long been in effect. The refs call a questionable one or miss a blatant one, and they make it up with another call. This drives me nuts, but it has been going on for years. It does seem more like a recent phenomena with all these amazing comebacks, especially in third periods. Teams with a lead get called more. That is so counter to how you would think it should be; trailing teams are usually the ones playing desperate and taking risks or are out to make a statement. No lead is safe any more in the NHL, and I guess this could aruably make the game more exciting?

There is just no way I buy that every game, the two teams playing each other deserve to have an equal amount of penalties. Some time if I get a chance, I should go through and actually draw a comparison, but I bet the majority of games called will show virtually the same amount of minor penalties called against each team (not counting majors and misconducts and the like, which can skew it).

Just ranting a bit, but I just feel this has been taking away from the game. Sure comebacks are fun to watch, but not when they are artificially induced and it is also fun to simply watch a better team dominate a lesser team.

Again, this is not why the Wings lost last night -- just a growing sense of frustration I have after watching games across the NHL this year.

Edited November 12, 2008 by egroen

[BigWinston 15]

It's obvious, for the time being at least, that with a 2 or more goal cushion PLAY SAFE, as all sort of crap calls are going to be thrown your way.

That's not directed at Detroit, but the whole league.

[egroen 384]

It's obvious, for the time being at least, that with a 2 or more goal cushion PLAY SAFE, as all sort of crap calls are going to be thrown your way.

That's not directed at Detroit, but the whole league.

Yeah, I'm definitely not implying this is a directed conspiracy against the Wings, though they have been hit harder by it than many other teams simply because they score a lot of goals.

Obviously they need to play safe.... but Babcock also obviously knows this and I am sure the players know it as well. Babcock knows it enough to comment on it to the press, but still you see them lining up for the penalty box after taking a commanding lead. All this despite, what I believe is a conscious effort to deliberately play it safe. Which also might explain why they look so lazy at the end of a game - they are trying not to take penalties.

Edited November 12, 2008 by egroen

[adamic 0]

It's obvious, for the time being at least, that with a 2 or more goal cushion PLAY SAFE, as all sort of crap calls are going to be thrown your way.

That's not directed at Detroit, but the whole league.

The Wings stopped playing offense which is what killed the defense. But when the refs call a penalty going into overtime your going to lose 85% of the time.

[ben_usmc 253]

my roomate is a diehard Av's fan, I watch all of the Av's games and he watches all the Wings games. Without me mentioning the penalties this season he told me that we have been getting screwed hardcore on calls. With that being said I don't like to hear Babcock ***** to the media about it, we may end up coming off as Pens fans. Besides yesterday it didn't seem like the penalty calls were bad.

[CAredwingsfan91 28]

what i dont understand is why did babcock continue to throw out the samuelson/kopecky/draper line against the staal line when they were clearly on a hot streak in the third he should have broken that line up instead of letting them give up 3/4 goals i understand you wanna match line for line but when our line is getting their asses handed to them you have to do something about it.

[egroen 384]

With that being said I don't like to hear Babcock ***** to the media about it, we may end up coming off as Pens fans. Besides yesterday it didn't seem like the penalty calls were bad.

Remember, those comments from Babcock came before last night's game. I also do not consider it whining or bitching because he was talking more about generally and league-wide than talking about a specific perceived bias against the Wings. To me he sounds more "matter of fact" than someone like Therrien. -- "It what it is, but I have noticed it."

[Doc Holiday 0]

On the Franzen penalty they made an excuse to make the call. It was a push.

Without that penalty Fil doesn't hook and there isn't a 5 on 3.

[Nev 1,085]

Definately noticed it. I was a big fan of when the the NHL came out after the lockout and said they were going to call a penalty a penalty, whether it was the 1st period of opening night or triple overtime of game 7 of the finals.

But right now they've got away with that. Right now they are calling penalties which are not in a million years penalties, just to either

1) even up a lopsided number of PPs (which is also BS)

or

2) Give a leg-up to a team which is trailing in the 3rd.

I was watching the BJs-Oilers game last week. Fantastic game, brilliant comeback by the BJs and Nash was a monster. But in the 3rd, after the BJs got 3 straight PPs the commentators said "you know the next penalty is going to be on Columbus" and sure enough, seconds later a complete BS, non-existent penalty was called on them.

I first started to really notice this in the playoffs last year, mainly as the Wings were usually leading and dominating, but its not just us. Its alright for some posters to say we have to "play safe" - it doesn't matter how safe you play, the second you go near an opponent the refs will call you for a spurious penalty.

Makes it even worse since it seems like the Refs feel giving the opposition a pp against Detroit isn't even of a leg-up, it needs to be a 5 on 3 to really make sure. How many is that now? Seems like at least one every game

[2probert4 8]

Definately noticed it. I was a big fan of when the the NHL came out after the lockout and said they were going to call a penalty a penalty, whether it was the 1st period of opening night or triple overtime of game 7 of the finals.

But right now they've got away with that. Right now they are calling penalties which are not in a million years penalties, just to either

1) even up a lopsided number of PPs (which is also BS)

or

2) Give a leg-up to a team which is trailing in the 3rd.

I was watching the BJs-Oilers game last week. Fantastic game, brilliant comeback by the BJs and Nash was a monster. But in the 3rd, after the BJs got 3 straight PPs the commentators said "you know the next penalty is going to be on Columbus" and sure enough, seconds later a complete BS, non-existent penalty was called on them.

I first started to really notice this in the playoffs last year, mainly as the Wings were usually leading and dominating, but its not just us. Its alright for some posters to say we have to "play safe" - it doesn't matter how safe you play, the second you go near an opponent the refs will call you for a spurious penalty.

Makes it even worse since it seems like the Refs feel giving the opposition a pp against Detroit isn't even of a leg-up, it needs to be a 5 on 3 to really make sure. How many is that now? Seems like at least one every game

Bottom Line is this.....the Wings did not play their usual shut down defense, nor did the 3rd and 4th lines show up at all. Perhaps this will wake some people on the Wings up and they start playing with more intensity in the defensive zone than they have.

[Reilly 24]

The make-up penalties are what upset me more than anything. Refs have to cover their ass because they called a bad penalty. Teams that get the benefit of a call should not be looked at closer so the Refs can even things out.