It sure felt like we would get called for a penalty a minute or two after we would take a lead, so I looked at games 2, 3 and 5 to see the numbers....it works out to an average of two minutes and 3 seconds after each goal we scored to take or extend a lead in those three games. That's not a coincidence if you ask me....that's a pattern. what does it mean? who knows...but it ain't good.
Game 2:
1st Period
06:51 Pavel Datsyuk 1-0 Detroit
08:29 Justin Abdelkader: 2 minutes, interference on goalkeeper
Penalty on Detroit 1:38 after taking lead
2nd Period:
02:00 Nicklas Lidstrom (Brian Rafalski, Pavel Datsyuk) 3-2 Detroit
06:11 Todd Bertuzzi: 2 minutes, interference on goalkeeper
Penalty on Detroit 4:11 after taking lead
3rd Period:
Time Team Penalty Details
01:14 San Jose Douglas Murray: 2 minutes, interference
03:01 Detroit Todd Bertuzzi: 2 minutes, holding
03:42 Detroit Niklas Kronwall: 2 minutes, hooking
05:34 Detroit Dan Cleary: 2 minutes, slashing
16:05 Detroit Valtteri Filppula: 2 minutes, tripping
16:16 San Jose Dany Heatley: 2 minutes, interference on goalkeeper
18:56 Detroit Tomas Holmstrom: 2 minutes, too many men/ice - bench
Game 3:
1st Period:
13:33 Tomas Holmstrom (Johan Franzen, Nicklas Lidstrom) 1-0 Detroit
14:02 Justin Abdelkader: 2 minutes, roughing
Penalty on Detroit 29 seconds after taking lead
2nd Period
01:42 Henrik Zetterberg (Valtteri Filppula, Brian Rafalski) 3-1 Detroit
03:34 Todd Bertuzzi: 2 minutes, hooking
Penalty on Detroit 1:52 after extending lead
Game 5:
02:40 Brian Rafalski (Johan Franzen, Todd Bertuzzi) 1-0 Detroit
04:47 Brad Stuart: 2 minutes, elbowing
Penalty on Detroit 2:07 after taking lead
I'm not going through every game to see missed calls and all that, but the most egregious of the entire series: the hit on Franzen that was a legitimate 5 minute major and should have been roughing/interference at an absolute minimum, led instead to the go-ahead goal on the ensuing face-off at their end due to the rush they got with Franzen out of the play. So it's fair to say that the officiating was responsible for BOTH of their goals tonight when you factor in the nonsense "Elbowing" penalty that provided the first goal - a penalty about a 2 on the 1-10 scale compared to an 8 or 9 on the uncalled shot on Franzen.
I'm disgusted by what I saw in this series. It is either incompetence of monumental proportions, dirty officials who are making money off this, or orders from up high to give the sharks an advantage. There are no other explanations. It was so blatant I felt like I was taking crazy pills while watching it. I will not watch any of the remaining playoffs because of this...I just can't take it. Watching either SJ or Chicago win makes the baby jesus cry, and if Pittsburgh makes it back I will have to hurt someone. it's nothing but lose lose lose lose left....our only hope is Boston or Montreal. that's it.