Something Fishy in Pittsburgh

[Guest micah]

Malkin isn't the only one to miss out on a suspension from the instigator, you know.

yup, when the "last 5 minutes" rule was added, it was added with the understanding that it was not there to deter fun stuff that came as part of the game - stuff like a non-fighting star player taking out his frustrations on his opponent - that is giood for the game and the league knows it. It was intended to prevent thugs from going after star players after games had been decided (something that was seldom much of an issue in the first place). From day 1, there was an understanding that the suspension was discretionary and could be waived. It has been waived quite often. There is less precedence for giving a star player like Malkin the suspension than there is for waiving it.

[55fan 5,133]

Why do that for a goal that really means nothing in the grand scheme of things? Save it for the playoffs during a tie game when no one is suspecting it. They're on to you now, silly penguins.

[Carman 387]

Penguin's are always the model franchise... Why couldn't Holland think of this first? We might be in the playoffs now if we were half as smart as the Penguin's brass.

If you're not cheating you're not trying. They didn't break any rules good on Pittsburgh that everyone associated with the team wants to win games. Man I wish the people with the Wing's had the balls and desire to win like Pittsburgh does... Oh well maybe one day the Red Wing's can be associated with great organizations like the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Edited January 12, 2010 by Carman

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Just....wow.

Can't say I'm entirely suprised.

[acidroach420 25]

Why do that for a goal that really means nothing in the grand scheme of things? Save it for the playoffs during a tie game when no one is suspecting it. They're on to you now, silly penguins.

You mean save it for the playoffs like they did against detroit when they were offsides and scored a goal?

[DMAC 25 18]

I hope they make a big deal of this.

i hope they do to, but as long as crosby is on their team they wont

[Donaldjr2448 43]

I watched the game an saw that live, and truthfully I was pissed, but Pittsburgh lost the game 7-4 and that goal only would have made it 8-4. The game was dominated by Philly and even our old buddy Pronger put one by Fleury. It was a great game all around except by the replay.

I partically blame the refs for this because Johnson was the goalie when the puck went in, the puck was in his pads while he was in the net and over the line. The whistle blew (quickly of course) and he quickly pushed himself out of the net and suprise the puck came flying out! Why can't the refs make a call on that just like they did with Hasek in the playoffs against Anaheim?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Not to mention that on May's no goal against the Ducks, even if there was no behind the net camera that clearly showed the puck in the net, Alex Auld pulled the puck completely out of the net with his stick. If that same play would have resulted in a Flyers goal had the NHL had that replay, then it should have been a goal for May.

[akustyk 84]

Penguin's are always the model franchise... Why couldn't Holland think of this first? We might be in the playoffs now if we were half as smart as the Penguin's brass.

listen... I know you're in love with Sindy but keep pretending to be fair...

but what the f* are you talking about?

do you want Wings to suck for like 5 consecutive years and whine about move to Kansas

to eventually land a huge number of top draft picks?

and yes, Wings are basically in playoff position right now. their average PPG is only slightly lower

than Penguins despite playing in much tougher West. I'm not even gonna start with injuries

because there really is little to discuss about our AHL roster dressed to play in NHL games.

Edited January 12, 2010 by akustyk

[edicius 3,269]

Let's see...how many ways can the Penguins cheat and get away with it?

Goals scored after obvious offsides? Check.

Instigate a fight in the last five minutes with no suspension? Check.

Play with six or seven skaters on the ice in addition to the goaltender without penalty? Check.

Deliberate attempts to injure with no suspension? Check.

And now this? Mind you, it's not the Penguins themselves this time, but FSN Pittsburgh is part of the organization. It's almost a shame Philly won that game, because it would be awesome to see Pittsburgh have to, say, forfeit points from a win. I mean, if Bettman wasn't running things, that is.

[theman19 47]

Let's see...how many ways can the Penguins cheat and get away with it?

Goals scored after obvious offsides? Check.

Instigate a fight in the last five minutes with no suspension? Check.

Play with six or seven skaters on the ice in addition to the goaltender without penalty? Check.

Deliberate attempts to injure with no suspension? Check.

And now this? Mind you, it's not the Penguins themselves this time, but FSN Pittsburgh is part of the organization. It's almost a shame Philly won that game, because it would be awesome to see Pittsburgh have to, say, forfeit points from a win. I mean, if Bettman wasn't running things, that is.

Before someone comes in here and says that you're a conspiracy theorist and a part of the tin foil community, I can think in my head every instance you've just listed. Is it likley that it's all a considence. Probably. Isn't it also just as likley that it isn't?

[egroen 384]

Before someone comes in here and says that you're a conspiracy theorist and a part of the tin foil community, I can think in my head every instance you've just listed. Is it likley that it's all a considence. Probably. Isn't it also just as likley that it isn't?

He didn't even list them all...

Ericsson called for phantom interference while Gill was routinely allowed to bear-hug players at the line

A brand new, last-minute rule created so Crosby would not be suspended for not playing in the All-Star Game

Phantom goalie interference on Holmstrom

The crazy, very unusual schedule last year that clearly and inherently favored one team over the other

Yeah, it could be coincidence, but it really is adding up.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

In Pittsburgh, best camera angle is set up to a Sony Beta ® machine.

[zaxx 0]

listen... I know you're in love with Sindy but keep pretending to be fair...

but what the f* are you talking about?

do you want Wings to suck for like 5 consecutive years and whine about move to Kansas

to eventually land a huge number of top draft picks?

and yes, Wings are basically in playoff position right now. their average PPG is only slightly lower

than Penguins despite playing in much tougher West. I'm not even gonna start with injuries

because there really is little to discuss about our AHL roster dressed to play in NHL games.

He just forgot to insert his /sarcasm tags... lol

[Broken 16 381]

listen... I know you're in love with Sindy but keep pretending to be fair...

but what the f* are you talking about?

do you want Wings to suck for like 5 consecutive years and whine about move to Kansas

to eventually land a huge number of top draft picks?

and yes, Wings are basically in playoff position right now. their average PPG is only slightly lower

than Penguins despite playing in much tougher West. I'm not even gonna start with injuries

because there really is little to discuss about our AHL roster dressed to play in NHL games.

I'm amazed that there are still people that take Carman seriously. Don't you people ever learn?

Pttsburgh has always been a lame market in my eyes. This isn't surprising in the least.

[toby91_ca 620]

The crazy, very unusual schedule last year that clearly and inherently favored one team over the other

Yeah, it could be coincidence, but it really is adding up.

To be honest, it appears to add up simply because of bias for the Wings and against the Pens, everything tends to get elevated that much more vs. say teams you really don't care much about one way or the other.

I think the allstar thing was blown a bit out of proportion. I don' t have a problem with Crosby not being suspended, he went to the allstar weekend, why would a player go and not play? I can totally understand guys not wanting to make the extra effort and travel to wherever the weekend is and instead be able to relax for the break, but if you are going, why avoid playing (unless you are nursing an injury). Anyway, I understand the way things unfolded, I just think is was blown out of proportion.

On the scheduling thing, I don't understand how it benefited the Pens. Let's ignore the fact that the dates were known before the teams were known (based on timing) for a second, the Pens swept their series and therefore, got more rest. Had both teams swept their respective series, the Wings would have been the team with more rest.

[toby91_ca 620]

listen... I know you're in love with Sindy but keep pretending to be fair...

but what the f* are you talking about?

do you want Wings to suck for like 5 consecutive years and whine about move to Kansas

to eventually land a huge number of top draft picks?

and yes, Wings are basically in playoff position right now. their average PPG is only slightly lower

than Penguins despite playing in much tougher West. I'm not even gonna start with injuries

because there really is little to discuss about our AHL roster dressed to play in NHL games.

Why bother responding. Carmen, for the most part, appears to posts things just to get a reaction out of everyone. The things being posted don't even appear to something that Carmen would even believe.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I'm guessing it'll fall on deaf ears in this thread, but it was Fox Sports Pittsburgh that did this, not the Pens organization.

It's actually pretty funny to me. It'd be like Redmond telling the guys in the broadcast trucks to "lose" a certain camera angle.

[chrisdetroit 189]

I agree. Someone's going to lose their job but at least they'll go out for a cause they believe in-- swaying a single regular season hockey game in their favourite team's favour. I hope their kids can eat hockey memorabilia.

Someone let a guy with explosives in his underwear onto a commercial flight and nobody lost their job for that....

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I'm guessing it'll fall on deaf ears in this thread, but it was Fox Sports Pittsburgh that did this, not the Pens organization.

It's actually pretty funny to me. It'd be like Redmond telling the guys in the broadcast trucks to "lose" a certain camera angle.

Thankfully, he's not the type to do that. He's one of few commentators I know of that gets pissed when his team gets a powerplay from a phantom penalty.

[egroen 384]

To be honest, it appears to add up simply because of bias for the Wings and against the Pens, everything tends to get elevated that much more vs. say teams you really don't care much about one way or the other.

I think the allstar thing was blown a bit out of proportion. I don' t have a problem with Crosby not being suspended, he went to the allstar weekend, why would a player go and not play? I can totally understand guys not wanting to make the extra effort and travel to wherever the weekend is and instead be able to relax for the break, but if you are going, why avoid playing (unless you are nursing an injury). Anyway, I understand the way things unfolded, I just think is was blown out of proportion.

On the scheduling thing, I don't understand how it benefited the Pens. Let's ignore the fact that the dates were known before the teams were known (based on timing) for a second, the Pens swept their series and therefore, got more rest. Had both teams swept their respective series, the Wings would have been the team with more rest.

The rule at the time was you had to play in order to avoid being suspended... Crosby was going to the ASG anyways, for all his endorsement deals, he just had to hop on an earlier flight. The new rule was obviously explicitly created for him and as a result of the way the NHL handed it, Lidstrom and Datsyuk were completely thrown under the bus as "spoiled" players. I can understand not wanting a stupid rule to suspend a star player (just like Malkin in the playoffs last year), but the NHL should take their lumps and fix it for the future, as opposed to blithely ignoring their own rules and finding a way to squirm out of it for certain players. It just reeks, and it is not only Detroit fans that feel screwed.

It was the first time in like 40 years that there were back-to-back games in the Stanley Cup Finals -- it was incredibly unusual. Dates were announced after the teams were known.

This is not just bitching about penalties and non-calls (which of course any fan is going to notice the ones that hurt his team), these are potential game-changing, series-changing events that continue to stack up in the Penguins favor. The idea of a modern playoff game with 0 penalties to a team is unheard of -- yet it happened for the Penguins in a tightly contested series against the Capitals. It just keeps adding up.

The way I look at:

Do I think refs in the NHL have purposefully affected the outcome of a game? Yes, of course. The NHL is not immune to it any way.

Do I think the NHL had a vested interest in seeing the Penguins win? Of course.

By no means is that even close to an indictment, it just means I would not be surprised if there was something going on... it's an awful lot of coincidences in favor of the 'chosen' team.

Let's face it -- it was awfully ballsy of FSN Pittsburgh to withold the key camera angle from Toronto - but they did it, and in an insignificant game to boot! It would not surprise me that a culture has been created in Pittsburgh that they can simply get away with these things and that the league will turn a blind eye to situations which inherently favor Pittsburgh.

I am not convinced of it, I just would not be very surprised if it turned out to be true.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

The rule at the time was you had to play in order to avoid being suspended... Crosby was going to the ASG anyways, for all his endorsement deals, he just had to hop on an earlier flight. The new rule was obviously explicitly created for him and as a result of the way the NHL handed it, Lidstrom and Datsyuk were completely thrown under the bus as "spoiled" players. I can understand not wanting a stupid rule to suspend a star player (just like Malkin in the playoffs last year), but the NHL should take their lumps and fix it for the future, as opposed to blithely ignoring their own rules and finding a way to squirm out of it for certain players. It just reeks, and it is not only Detroit fans that feel screwed.

It was the first time in like 40 years that there were back-to-back games in the Stanley Cup Finals -- it was incredibly unusual. Dates were announced after the teams were known.

This is not just bitching about penalties and non-calls (which of course any fan is going to notice the ones that hurt his team), these are potential game-changing, series-changing events that continue to stack up in the Penguins favor. The idea of a modern playoff game with 0 penalties to a team is unheard of -- yet it happened for the Penguins in a tightly contested series against the Capitals. It just keeps adding up.

The way I look at:

Do I think refs in the NHL have purposefully affected the outcome of a game? Yes, of course. The NHL is not immune to it any way.

Do I think the NHL had a vested interest in seeing the Penguins win? Of course.

By no means is that even close to an indictment, it just means I would not be surprised if there was something going on... it's an awful lot of coincidences in favor of the 'chosen' team.

Let's face it -- it was awfully ballsy of FSN Pittsburgh to withold the key camera angle from Toronto - but they did it, and in an insignificant game to boot! It would not surprise me that a culture has been created in Pittsburgh that they can simply get away with these things and that the league will turn a blind eye to situations which inherently favor Pittsburgh.

I am not convinced of it, I just would not be very surprised if it turned out to be true.

What about those who believe the NHL has a vested interest in seeing Detroit lose? (I'm not one of them, but its hard not to think about at times with the constant no-goal calls that go against Detroit.)

[chrisdetroit 189]

yup, when the "last 5 minutes" rule was added, it was added with the understanding that it was not there to deter fun stuff that came as part of the game - stuff like a non-fighting star player taking out his frustrations on his opponent - that is giood for the game and the league knows it. It was intended to prevent thugs from going after star players after games had been decided (something that was seldom much of an issue in the first place). From day 1, there was an understanding that the suspension was discretionary and could be waived. It has been waived quite often. There is less precedence for giving a star player like Malkin the suspension than there is for waiving it.

I have no problem with that EXCEPT that is was written that the suspension was to be MANDANTORY. You can't have something wiaved that is MANDANTORY. If the intent is for it to be a judgement call it should say that.

And as far your suggestion that the rule does not apply to "star" players - that's just stupid. Can't a star player act like a goon too? Malkin did exactly what the rule was intended to stop. He went after our guys to send a message. It really is simple.

MANDANTORY.

That simple.

[egroen 384]

What about those who believe the NHL has a vested interest in seeing Detroit lose? (I'm not one of them, but its hard not to think about at times with the constant no-goal calls that go against Detroit.)

I do not exactly understand that one - other than it is "boring" to see the same team on top year after year. The NHL clearly does not want this.

But it's downright weird to note the NHL and its affiliates handling of the Red Wings in commercials -- maybe Detroit really has become the 'Evil Empire' that everyone loves to hate, despite having such a huge and diverse fan base. But it was just a week ago that I was watching a new commercial for NHL apparel, and I turned to my wife and said "I bet there is not a single shot of a Red Wings item"... they probably showed 20+ teams in the commercial, and not a single Winged Wheel. Isn't that strange? Honestly? Again... coincidence most likely.

I halfway wonder if Ilitch or Holland has pissed off the Board of Governors a bit too often -- not hard to imagine, what with simply winning constantly, and 'buying' cups.

[Kira 451]

So now they have to resort to cheating to win. Bettman must really like kissing up to Crosby.