***The Official 2009 NHL Playoffs Thread***

Did you see the hit? Its a clean hit, yet they called him a 5 minute INTERFERENCE penalty, and a game misconduct. So its a clean hit, the puck is at Havlats feet... so its not interference... yet its 5 and a game? FOR WHAT?!?!?!

Its not just this series, its every series, every game, the officiating is horrid. Whats a penalty in the first period, suddenly isnt in the second, so on and so forth, its so inconsistent its ridiculous.

The problem with tonight's game is Dan O'halloran reffing a wings game. Its a widely known fact he hates detroit. Being from here, being shot here, he HATES the city, the team, his calls over the years against the wings show that. Its no wonder Babcock requested he never ref another wings game again, yet... here he is.

 

red wings getting the long end of the stick. i love it.

i love it when other teams have ref issues. the flyers were among the most called for penalties against among the regular season. you think having one ref that hates you is bad? try the lot of them. they were like 60 or 70 PIM + against than for.

 

philly is just an undisciplined bunch of thugs though

 

so what you're saying is the red wings are disciplined thugs who get caught far less than they should?

 

Good for the Blackhawks, a nice win for them.

 

i'm still going to root for you guys to win.

 

My "first" team is the Buffalo Sabers, there are still family stories about how dirty the 1976 Flyers teams was...they even made the Simpson's "Jury of the Dammned"....

 

they were called the broad street bullies for a reason. if they played like panzies they'd be called the broad street bunnies.

love that simpsons episode. and they didn't just "make" the jury of the damned, they were about half of it. "the entire 1976 philadelphia flyers hockey team"

sabres play like a bunch of ninnies.

 

The Sabres were tough during the Hasek Era, really tough, but they just couldn't afford to keep those teams together, I see Satan on the Pens and Peca sort of bouncing around and it's sort of sad really.

Get it...Satan...Jury of the Dammed...

The Flyers always go for the bigguns, to bad Lindros just never lived up to his billing.

 

Lindros is a bum.

The flyers issue has been that their offense is usually incredible but their D is very suspect. If they could build a D even half as good as they could an O they'd be a force to reckon with. Fortunately for the rest of the league (and to my dismay) for some reason the D never pans out. Especially the goalies since Hextall...

 

Here's the hit...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KJm-qcnnC0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fca.sports.yahoo.com%2Fnhl%2Fblog%2Fpuck_daddy%2Fpost%2FVideo-Kronwall-s-devastating-hit-on-Havlat-in-G%3Furn%3Dnhl%2C165417&feature=player_embedded

clean as a hit can be. as you'll notice, at the time, NO referee has his arm up to call a penalty.

No elbow, he only leaves his skates after the initial contact, so its not a charge, the puck is there, so its not interference... so I ask again, why the penalty call?

Bettman and his pathetic excuses for refs are ruining the great game that used to be hockey.

that is not a penalty, no excuse at all for it to be 5 minutes and a game.

 

guy had his head down; but to me i couldn't tell whether or not he had left his feet before the check or after he made intial contact.

announcers are saying he has a history of doing that maybe seeing the guy down and out and his history alone were enough to make the call even tho the hit wasn't that bad this time around?

not saying it's right, just saying.

 

I know what youre saying, but thats my point, thats the problem with hockey. The refs aren't being held accountable for anything. you cant just make a call like that, give a team a 5 minute power play, and throw the guy out of a playoff game, just because he has a "history" according to one announcer on tv...

a guys prior "history" is exactly why o'halloran has disallowed goals by holmstrom time and time again that are legit goals. He just sees him near the net, so he decides he must be in the crease and disallows goals just because he can.

These officials need to be held accountable for their actions. How many calls on things, hits especially, have been called, and then something similar happens a night later, and its not called. Its awful... its no wonder people have lost interest in the sport. Its become impossible to determine what is, and what isnt a penalty

When all officials on ice see the hit, and decide its not a penalty until 5 minutes later, theres something wrong. Throwing Kronwall out of the game, and giving chicago a 5 minute powerplay, just because he has a supposed prior "history" its absolutely absurd. Its either a penalty, or its not. Cleary this was not, but its called anyways... its ridiculous.

in other news, how about my Windsor Spitfires battling back, pulling out the win tonight in OT and moving on to play for the Memorial Cup (for the best junior hockey team in canada) on sunday!!!

 

that's like the non clipping call that they didn't get during the super bowl that should have negated harrisons TD return. if you're not going to call them during the SB when are you going to call them?

for the record i wanted pitt to lose that game; so i may be agreeing with some while it wasn't really there...

 

Im just so tired of inconsistency amongst officials in sports in general...but the NHL has to be the worst right now... its brutal to watch.

 

Ovechkin getting drafted by the Dolphins.
lol

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXvy968BCs8&feature=related"]YouTube - The Onion: NHL Star Called Up To Big Leagues To Play For NFL[/ame]



coming up next, the police plan to get out of Detroit Michigan by the year 2012

 

Just got back from a rain-drenched vacation in wonderful Central Florida. Thanks to the rain, I ended up spending three nights at the ESPN Club on Disney's Boardwalk to watch my Pens light up the Canes.

Anlgp, how could you NOT be excited for a Pens/Wings final? If you're a fan of hockey in general, it's going to be brilliant.

I'm pumped as all hell. I have a gut feeling that this is the Pens year. They're not the same team they were last year, and with Malkin on fire the way he is (after virtually disappearing in the finals last year) I think the Pens take it in 6 or 7.

I can't wait...

 

Got to give the Pens credit Pagan, they are explosive and have forced the Canes out of their game of forchecking and collapsing on defense.

 

To tell you the truth bro, it surprised me. I'm not overconfident...but seeing them play that way definitely makes me feel that they can pull this off.

Blysma gets coach of the year for this.

 

A) saw it last year. repetition is boring.
B) I hate the red wings. this comes from the stanley cup finals sweep of many years ago. brandon will be happy to shed some light on the series for you as he is a red wings fan.
C) penguins knocked philly out this year and are in the same division which by hockey law to me makes it unable to root for them.
D) I don't want to root for either of them. Because of B & C.

which makes it almost completely unwatchable to me. but seeing as i hope the red wings don't repeat.. i may have to watch it to send negative vibes in their direction. which is to say i'm simply rooting against detroit.. and not for pittsburgh.

but it's ok, because chicago is going to make a comeback and so are the 'canes.

 

Ah...so you're a Flyers fan, not a hockey fan then.

Yup...and I'm going to be sitting in a hot tub tomorrow night with Eva Langoria while Angelina Jolie and Adriana Lima make out in front of us and Megan Fox is giving me a back rub.

 

yeah i'm more a flyers fan than a hockey fan. if the flyers are out (which is usually the case) it is hard for me to watch. not because i don't really understand what's going on but i just don't get into it as much. i don't have any teams i like to see do well other than them.. kinda like "my favorite team is the flyers and anyone who is playing the detroit red wings" type of thing.

and you should take pictures

 

GO WINGS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DARREN HELM!!!! i LOVE that kid. he was outstanding for Canada in the world jr's a few years ago, was great last year, and again this year. I can't wait till they promote him fulltime next year!

 

BOOOOOOOOOOO

 

you better be goin' for the wings!!! Get over that sweep, the team you should really hate is pittsburgh!

 

Boy, alot of you are gunna be unhappy reeeeeeal soon!

This is a series for the ages. If you're a fan of hockey, you couldn't ask for more. The finals are supposed to be the two best teams, and that's exactly what we have.

Payback time...GO PENS!

 

Well since we don't have the NHL our AHL team is in the Calder cup finals

Manitoba Moose (Vancouver) vs Hershey Bears (I think Philly)

Im not a fan but the city is getting into it.

The moose have cody hodgson who just came from junior as player of the year. he will be in the NHL next year


As for the finals I can't see Pitt winning. Detroit is too disciplined

I'm cheering for Pitt, but I see Detroit in 5

 

disappointed?? I dont think so... couldn't be happier tonight.

especially after the NHL moving the series up 5 days, causing datsyuk and draper to not play... thats another issue all together... all i'll say is... what a joke.

Wings have the better, deeper team IMO. hell, Helm, Maltby, and Abdelkader played ALOT tonight... Abdelkader scored! who?!?!?! Yeah.. thats right... a line of pretty much AHL'ers Gotta love the wings' depth.

1 down, 3 to go.. Hope to watch Crosby cry again this year!

 

fight fight fight fight fight fight fight fight fight fight

 

Both teams are highly, highly skilled, when they make a pass, it is right on the stick, very very few times does the puck roll away from either team on a pass.

Crosby busted out the spin and turn shot.

 

Ridiculous statement. What the NHL supposed to do, wait until your players heal? A nine day layover is what would have been ridiculous.

And please....two FLUKE goals for the Wings. Basically it was an even game. The bounces just went Detroit's way tonight.

Fleury scored more goals for you guys with his legs tonight that your team did.

Let's see what happens tomorrow night.

 

For me, I like the quickish start and back to back games, the NHL needs to re-establish it's rep as a tough league with tough, comitted athletes playing the game.

Wings look good though Pagan, so do the Pens...fun stuf Bro...

 

wait until our players heal?? Naw... how about just proceeding with the playoffs as originally scheduled?!?!

With all due respect Pagan, I have a hard time believing you'd be okay with the move if crosby and/or malkin were hurt. I'm sure the nhl would as well at that point...

As for tonight, "lucky" bounces.. sure, maybe so, but thats hockey. Looked to me like the wings were the stronger team tonight.

But like you said, lets see what happens tomorrow night... since were playing back to back games in a cup final for the first time in... i think 52 years... I think we're in for a hell of a series. As a fan of hockey, anyone should be excited about whats to come. Im not surprised if it goes 7.

go wings go!!!

 

Go penguins!

 

I'm really torn with who i want to lose

 

Yupo, both teams look hungry. It's gunna be a hell of a series!

Bro, when the NHL first announced it was waiting NINE days to start the series, they were FRIED by pretty much EVERYONE for the decision. They THEN announced LAST SUNDAY that if both conference finals were finished by Wednesday that the Final round would begin Saturday.

Three days is MORE than enough of a wait to start a new series bro, but the bottom line was that it was announced WAY beforehand.

Looked pretty even to me, don't be a homer.

Malkin makes that breakaway and it's a whole different game.

Agreed...we couldn't ask for a better final. Good luck to your team but GO PENS!

 

2 down... 2 to go...

go wings go!!!

On a side note... I really wish the nhl would start carrying over penalties from end of game scrums like this one thats ending this game... i hate that you can get away with junk at the end of the game and not suffer consequences.