Canes/Habs officiating

[gp3r 0]

Man was it bad tonight. The refs missed so many calls during the game. I'm not saying they made any bad calls, since pretty much all panelties were deserved, but they missed so many. How can you not call a penalty on Williams after his high stick on Koivu, the guy might loose his eye for christ sake. How can you not give a penalty to Cory Stillman after he hit Bonk from behind during OT.

Anyway, I just hope the referring gets better in game 4. I like the way they are calling the game now, but I hate it when they miss obvious infractions.

[Eazy_b97 1]

It was pretty bad. They allowed alot of physical stuff and alot of hooks. They missed a couple obvious ones, like Koivu's, but it was both ways. They just did a poor job overall in my eyes. It was like half NNHL half old, and it just switched. At times, they called everything, at other times, nothing.

[gavin 0]

Yeah it might have poorly officiated both ways but which team has their #1 playoff power forward in the hospital right now? Which team was shorthanded both all the end of the 3rd and in prolongation also? My blood boils.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I've never really understood the "if he bleeds it's 4" rule. Stillman obviously wasn't badly hurt badly...I don't even think he missed a shift...and the play that he got hit on...it looked like he hit himself with Komisareks stick when he tried to get away from him.

I can see 4 if the guy has to leave for stiches....but seriously.

Not just cause it happened to Montreal. I've always thought the presence of blood alone does not a major make.

[gp3r 0]

Also, consider this: it's been proven in the past that players actually bite themselves after their get hit with a high stick just to draw a 4 minutes penalty.

I agree with you, but here's what I think: there should not be any 4 minutes penalty for high sticking. If the hit is very, very bad, like it happened to Koivu tonight, than it should be 5 minutes, otherwise just a 2 minute.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Yeah it might have poorly officiated both ways but which team has their #1 playoff power forward in the hospital right now? Which team was shorthanded both all the end of the 3rd and in prolongation also? My blood boils.

The opposite team who was shorthanded 3 times in OT in game 2? Is that the correct answer?

I really do feel for you guys about the Koivu injury, but please don't call him the #1 power forward. Carolina's #1 goalie has the flu, their #1 PF is injured and it wouldn't surprise me if the flu was going around the room as well. So the missed call was bad, but nobody should be crying a river because the Habs may be without Koivu.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I agree with you, but here's what I think: there should not be any 4 minutes penalty for high sticking. If the hit is very, very bad, like it happened to Koivu tonight, than it should be 5 minutes, otherwise just a 2 minute.

There needs to be 2...4 or 5. But I think the difference between a 2 & a 4...and a 4 or a 5 need to be more defined.

If it takes 1-2 minute after the fact to "find" the blood...then it's just 2...the the cut is bleeding immediately, and obviously after the incident (but the incident itself isn't flagrant or malicious)...then it's 4. Malicious intent...5 minutes (plus whatever misconduct/match the ref decides is fit).

Remember...you penalize the action not the result.

IMO:

Williams gets 4...He obviously drew blood...but it wasn't malicious...it was careless use of his stick.

Komi gets 2. Yeah...the guy was bleeding...but they had to look pretty hard to find it.

Kovalev should've got 2 for high stick on the follow through that hit Hedican. He didn't cut him, but it was careless use of his stick.

[RadioGaGa 162]

...nobody should be crying a river because the Habs may be without Koivu.

If Carolina goes on to win this Series, I will look back to this Game. The play of Cam Ward and the loss of Saku Koivu.

Even when he isn't producing points, he is the leader of the Habs. If Souray, Rivet, Kovalev, Markov or Zednik don't step up and lead (and, again, I'm not talking about offensive production...I mean actually be a leader)...Montreal will not win this series.

They need Koivu's leadership.

That's why Gainey signed him through 2009.

[Eazy_b97 1]

He's a huge part of the team, but is he more valuable than Cole or Gerber? Kovalev is the leader of this team in my eyes, and he was last playoffs as well. As he goes, the Habs go. Koivu is a great character player, and I really do enjoy watching him play, but his value isn't above the loss of the Canes players, although it could very well be equal.

[RadioGaGa 162]

He's a huge part of the team, but is he more valuable than Cole or Gerber? Kovalev is the leader of this team in my eyes, and he was last playoffs as well. As he goes, the Habs go. Koivu is a great character player, and I really do enjoy watching him play, but his value isn't above the loss of the Canes players, although it could very well be equal.

Kovalev is the Offensive leader on the ice...no question. But there is something about this team. They play better (for the most part) with Koivu in the lineup...whether he is scoring or not.

More valuable than Coles missing Offence...probably not. More valuable than a #1 goalie...probably not. But...equally....he's a presence that will be missed if he can't play again this playoff.

Going into this series, I was worried...then after Games 1&2 I was less worried. I honestly thought they would lose tonight....2 big wins on the road...they were due for a let down...I still thought they would win the series overall...just not tonight. In my mind, I've got it...lose tonight...win (big) Friday. Lose Game 5 in Ral. and win Game 6 at home.

but losing Kovu...I'm worried again.

I hope they prove me wrong.

[EDIT] All this should be in the Round One Thread....let's go back to the original topic of this thread....Bashing Zebras.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I think Eazy is right on that one, Kovy didn't played much of a good game tonight, look at the result.

I hear very good news, but they are not 100% confirmed.

Koivu got cut under the eye, not in the eye or something and had to get points under the eye. If this is true, Koivu could play the next game. I just hope it is going to be confirmed in the next twenty four hours.

[Chadd 916]

We have an area specifically for the playoffs.