NHL rescinds match penalty to Blues' Backes

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=653813&navid=nhl:topheads

The National Hockey League rescinded the match penalty assessed to St. Louis Blues forwardDavid Backes in the game Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings.

Backes received a match penalty for an illegal hit to the head of Detroit's Kent Huskins at 9:38 of the third period. Replays appeared to indicate that no contact to Huskins' head was made.

Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk scored the game-winning goal on the ensuing five-minute power play in an eventual 5-3 victory.

No surprise there.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

It's the right call by the NHL. I don't blame the refs, they thought he got the head and called it that way.

[Richdg 267]

I will take the win, but man that was a bad call that gave us the game. 3-3 tie with 9 to go, and the refs gave us a 5 min PP on a phantom call. The down side is, sooner or later the same will happen to us.....

[Jedi 1,865]

Absolutely the right call to make.

I'll take the two points, but I definitely feel that the bad penalty call cost the Blues their chance in that game. Over the course of a full season, though, I have no doubt the Blues will be on the better end of questionable calls.

Glad the NHL realized their mistake, and made sure that Backes doesn't get an undeserved black mark on his record.

[Marty Barry 230]

My gosh do the blues fans hate the Wings. Was on a few other sites last night and today and boy are they bitter. I mean, they have fans just like other teams that realize you have to play better than a bad call or 2 or 3 but the majority of them are very whiney. Maybe they just have a bunch of new (bandwagon) fans in their base or at least in social media. But, my gosh, they seem to consider themselves to be the new avalanche for us. I wish we really could just pay the officials like they say we do.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Marty Barry

[shoobiedoobin 138]

it was a bad call but you know how consistently we're dicked on bad calls? And how often STL plays goon hockey and gets away with it?

If you believe in karma, last night was a textbook example.

[redwingsindiana 1]

Upon replay it was a bad call, but from behind and at full speed I see how maybe the ref missed it. He should have at least conferred with other refs. Oh well, sometimes we get the calls and sometimes we get the shaft, this time we win the game. I believe the NHL made the right final judgement, Backes is not a goon.

[jollymania 162]

******* moron ref.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Right call but the league has to look at all the stupid 5:3 penalties and how the refs are killing all sorts of gameflow in way too many games, it has become extremely boring.

Loved the hit from Backes, guy is an absolute beast.

Edited February 3, 2013 by frankgrimes

[puckloo39 5,686]

That was the right thing to do. However, I've lost count of the games the Wings have been robbed of a win over things as wrong as this call.

I am glad it won't be on Backes' record, though.

[cprice12 117]

It's the right call by the NHL. I don't blame the refs, they thought he got the head and called it that way.

How can you not blame the refs? It was a horrible call, made by a referee.

He is most certainly to blame because he was dead wrong.

it was a bad call but you know how consistently we're dicked on bad calls? And how often STL plays goon hockey and gets away with it?

If you believe in karma, last night was a textbook example.

Enlighten me. How often does St. Louis play "goon hockey"? I'd like to know.

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

How can you not blame the refs? It was a horrible call, made by a referee.

He is most certainly to blame because he was dead wrong.

Enlighten me. How often does St. Louis play "goon hockey"? I'd like to know.

I've already mentioned it and you ignored it. Your Blues got away with at least 3 interference calls, a couple tripping calls and probably more that I did not see. This bad call evened it out a bit

[LeftWinger 5,131]

The Blues should be LIVID! If Detroit got screwed like that, this forum would be lit up with conspiracy and cheating and Bettman... They Blues lost two valuable points with that non-penalty. I like to win, but don't like to be handed the win ala Pitt in 2009.

How can you not blame the refs? It was a horrible call, made by a referee.

He is most certainly to blame because he was dead wrong.

Enlighten me. How often does St. Louis play "goon hockey"? I'd like to know.

You and I have had our differences in the past, but this is dead on. If the Wings go screwed that way, we all would be calling for somone's head! I do agree with the NO goon hockey too. I wish upon wishes that we had more players like Backes on this team....too bad for your loss, but I am sure you will make it up this season while Detroit continues to play like the local squirt team in town....

[vladdy16 2,154]

The Wings HAVE been screwed like that. On many occasions. And yes, the board lights up like a Christmas tree. It didn't cost the Blues the game, though, from all I have read.

[cprice12 117]

I've already mentioned it and you ignored it. Your Blues got away with at least 3 interference calls, a couple tripping calls and probably more that I did not see. This bad call evened it out a bit

Interference? Tripping?

And how again is that "goon hockey"?

[cprice12 117]

The Blues should be LIVID! If Detroit got screwed like that, this forum would be lit up with conspiracy and cheating and Bettman... They Blues lost two valuable points with that non-penalty. I like to win, but don't like to be handed the win ala Pitt in 2009.

You and I have had our differences in the past, but this is dead on. If the Wings go screwed that way, we all would be calling for somone's head! I do agree with the NO goon hockey too. I wish upon wishes that we had more players like Backes on this team....too bad for your loss, but I am sure you will make it up this season while Detroit continues to play like the local squirt team in town....

Well, I never said it cost the Blues the game, that would imply the Blues would have won if no penalty was called...which we'll never know. Detroit may have still won the game, but the penalty ended up leading to the game winning goal...so yeah, Detroit was handed one there. But as far as blame goes...yeah, Walsh was to blame 100%. It was just a bad call. I'm not sure how anyone can say they don't blame him when he is the one who messed up.

The Blues will have their chance for redemption quickly... we play each other again on Thursday. I'm kinda liking this short season. Lots of division games close together.

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

Interference? Tripping?

And how again is that "goon hockey"?

It is not "goon" hockey, but it's not like you guys weren't getting away with a lot of penalties in that game. You didn't deserve THAT penalty, I agree. It does even out though, and we got a little justice for it

[vladdy16 2,154]

I've never had much respect for Backes, but apparently he has changed over the last few years, hence his improved reputation. It will take more than that to convince me otherwise, but I'm open to him having turned over a new leaf.

[Guest Johnz96]

It's the right call by the NHL. I don't blame the refs, they thought he got the head and called it that way.

They shouldn't call a 5 min major unless they are sure especially not in the 3rd period of a close game. The ref should be rescinded.

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

They shouldn't call a 5 min major unless they are sure especially not in the 3rd period of a close game. The ref should be rescinded.

I believe the ref was sure, which is why he didn't confer with the other refs on the call. That doesn't mean he was right though

[Guest Johnz96]

I believe the ref was sure, which is why he didn't confer with the other refs on the call. That doesn't mean he was right though

Obviously he didn't see a hit to the head so he shouldn't have called a hit to the head.

[CrimsonFlame 424]

It's good they rescinded the penalty. It clearly wasn't deserved.

[55fan 5,133]

I've never had much respect for Backes, but apparently he has changed over the last few years, hence his improved reputation. It will take more than that to convince me otherwise, but I'm open to him having turned over a new leaf.

Oh, but he loves puppies!

http://fiveacresanimalshelter.org/backes-buddies.html

On the ice may be another matter, but at least he's not a total batch of asterisks off it.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I believe the ref was sure, which is why he didn't confer with the other refs on the call. That doesn't mean he was right though

Agreed.

Backes has hit guys like this before. His hits like this are lateral, blindside, and sometimes push the boundaries of being late. That's a lot of the criteria for hits the league is trying to crack down on. All he has to do is graze a guy's chin and they're going to toss him from the game and suspend him.

With the way Huskins head snapped the ref jumped the gun. Bad call, but I'm hardly surprised given the caliber of officiating the last few seasons.

[shoobiedoobin 138]

How can you not blame the refs? It was a horrible call, made by a referee.

He is most certainly to blame because he was dead wrong.

Enlighten me. How often does St. Louis play "goon hockey"? I'd like to know.

Do you actually want to talk about it or are you just going to blindly and automatically deny anything I say? And don't whine about officiating, it goes in your favor far more often than not. And let's be real, you're the flavor of the month. You should probably expect it to continue deep past April.