Early Penalty Watch For Game 1

[StevieBoy 2]

Ya know, I'm a huge wings fan...have been for 25 years. So I don't say this as someone not dedictated to this team. I even go overboard as a fan at times...wear a Wings hat almost every day, especially in the spring...go back to Detroit or see as many games here in Denver as possible...even flew to Sweden for game 1 this season. But I hate...hate...hate this attitude that so many wings fans have about how the Wings are treated unfairly. Yes, there have been bad calls against us. Some of them make you wonder how it could have possibly been called that way. But the fact is there are bad calls against every team and, oh my, even some in our favor! The officials are not trying to make the Wings win, or any other team lose. They make poor calls sometimes but they are just a couple guys on the ice seeing whatever they see from the one perspective they had at the time with things running full speed! So many fans (and not just of Detroit, but others also) watch the replay over and over from various angles at super slow speed and then proclaim how terrible the officials are because they made a poor call. The rules don't allow them to video review what happened and reverse a call based on that review. They are left at the glimpse they have of the situation as it happened. I sincerely doubt there are any humans that could perform the same job without any less controversey.

Yes, it sucks when this happens at a bad time. But it happens.

And I think worse than fans that complain and won't let go of a call that occurred in the past is the notion behind this thread. That before the teams even take the ice, the statement is made that our poor mistreated wings are going to be treated so unfairly that we'll lose the series. This sort of thing gives Wings' fans a bad name. When you read nearly any national site there are at least a couple articles a year about the whiny red wing fans. I cringe every time I see them but I can't argue them because there is certainly some truth to it.

Seriously though, when are there not BS calls against us. Honestly I look at the teams in the playoffs, just in the West I feel the league would rather see the Yotes, Nucks, Sharks, Kings, and of course the Hawks go further then us.

That isn't even bringing up the East which has the poster children of the NHL in it. I have a feeling that the Pens, Sabers, Sens, Bruins, and most of all Caps would get the calls over us this year.

I firmly believe that the league handed the Pens the cup by fixing game three. I always expect them to make calls to extend series and give extra chances for the best market teams to advance. Phoenix could use a deep run. Honestly if they were to make the finals the franchise would instantly be viable. People just want a contender. I mean how else can you explain the Penguins selling out now?

The only group that handed the cup to the Pens last year was the Wings. They ran out of gas and a couple injuries put it over the top. No conspiracies...the wings didn't keep up tbe intensity and they lost.

[Lancz 0]

Seriously though, when are there not BS calls against us. Honestly I look at the teams in the playoffs, just in the West I feel the league would rather see the Yotes, Nucks, Sharks, Kings, and of course the Hawks go further then us.

That isn't even bringing up the East which has the poster children of the NHL in it. I have a feeling that the Pens, Sabers, Sens, Bruins, and most of all Caps would get the calls over us this year.

I firmly believe that the league handed the Pens the cup by fixing game three. I always expect them to make calls to extend series and give extra chances for the best market teams to advance. Phoenix could use a deep run. Honestly if they were to make the finals the franchise would instantly be viable. People just want a contender. I mean how else can you explain the Penguins selling out now?

I felt like the portion in bold is what happened last season, and will probably eventually happen again as long as Bettman is in charge. I believe at least one of the refs noticed the too many men and chose not to blow the whistle. You can sit there and say they usually even things out but timing and momentum mean a lot in hockey. I agree they do even things out most the time but it can end up being too little too late. It's kind of silly that fans accept bad calls as long as they are hopefully "evened out".

I would much prefer refs getting penalized in pay for calls they are unsure of and getting bonuses for making calls that are spot on correct. Then we wouldn't have 2 minute penalties "for playing hockey". God forbid we let the coach challenge a call or use video review to ensure correct calls are being made...

I'm pumped about playoff hockey but I'm not looking forward to the poor officiating that has plagued the NHL ever since the lockout. Would it surprise me that there is bias officiating in favor of a failing franchise? Of course not. I don't think it has to, or will for sure happen but it really wouldn't surprise me much if it did.

[Guest mindfly]

Campbell and the NHL told the GMs in the latest conference call that they will look very closely at goaltender interference in this playoff so holmstrom better stay out of the paint!!!!!!

[Nero 20]

I find it really funny how mostly everyone here is defending the NHL like it is a crime to even think that there could be some bias. It has happened in sports before, people. Just because you don't think it is happening, doesn't mean it isn't.

That isn't to say that it is happening, don't get me wrong.

[Firehawk 305]

I find it really funny how mostly everyone here is defending the NHL like it is a crime to even think that there could be some bias. It has happened in sports before, people. Just because you don't think it is happening, doesn't mean it isn't.

That isn't to say that it is happening, don't get me wrong.

Yeah. And let's say that there was bias going on. You'd have to prove it. How in the world would you be able to prove it? I mean, sometimes it seems obvious but it doesn't...it's hard to prove something like that unless someone came out and said something. Even if the calls were ticky tack and being called all one way, that still isn't "proof".

[clutchngrab 12]

The yotes are not Canadien, so no worries. But seriously, NHL officiating is the worse of any major sport. Now that the old guard is retiring in droves, it will be even worse as time goes on. The post shutdown officiating is an absolute mess. If I wasn't a red wing fan I would not watch this game at all because Bettman has completely f***ed it up.

Edited April 14, 2010 by clutchngrab

[Carman 387]

The yotes are not Canadien, so no worries. But seriously, NHL officiating is the worse of any major sport. Now that the old guard is retiring in droves, it will be even worse as time goes on.

I hope you aren't serious. NBA is by far the worse, and did you not watch the MLB playoffs last year?

Don't get me started on the phantom calls in the NFL...

Every sport has "bad" officiating, you just only care about it when it's your favorite team and sport.

[RusDRW 155]

When we're allowed to have six or seven guys on the ice in the SCF for 30+ seconds without a too-many-men call, then I'll believe that the officiating isn't biased, but merely incompetent.

this and without smiling

I firmly believe that the league handed the Pens the cup by fixing game three. I always expect them to make calls to extend series and give extra chances for the best market teams to advance. Phoenix could use a deep run. Honestly if they were to make the finals the franchise would instantly be viable. People just want a contender. I mean how else can you explain the Penguins selling out now?

And for those who think that extending series is fine and all. These artificial "extensions" do affect the final outcome of play-off match-ups. Last year's Pens-Caps series come to my mind when I think about this. Caps were up 2-0 going to game 3 in Pittsburgh, where 9 penalties were called on Caps and 2 on Pens. They still took it to the overtime where they lost 4-5. That was series changing moment and no further explanation is needed why. I do not really like Caps, I hate Ovechkin's selfish style, etc. but I'm still pissed about that. Refs just decided to give Pens one more breath they didn't even deserve and they turned that series around.

Edited April 14, 2010 by RusDRW

[crotty99 302]

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