I can take losing. Sure, I get kinda bitchy and obnoxious when my teams lose games, but you learn to appreciate wins when you’ve been through the losses. It’s why I’m still a Pirate fan after all these years. It’s why I stuck with the Pens in the post-Jagr era when were hoping to get goals from guys like Rico Fata and Dick Tarnstrom.
What I can’t stand is losing on blatantly missed penalties. I never complain about officiating, but yesterday’s game was horrendous. If the NHL grades its officials, then Bill McCreary shouldn’t expect a passing mark.
There were missed calls against both sides, so shut up if you think I’m just complaining because my team lost.
One play turned Game 2 in favor of the Wings. And the play never should’ve happened. Valterri Filppula scored a nice backhand goal, thanks to some questionable play by Marian Hossa. The video captures the setup nicely.
Malkin’s penalty was just expiring, and Pascal Dupuis positioned himself perfectly to get the puck to Geno as soon as he exited the box for a breakaway. Hossa caught up to Dupuis by hooking him, which not only lets the player catch up, but also seriously impedes the hooked player from making the pass/shot that they were intending. Instead of a soft pass back to center ice, Dupuis was left with turning around to find the puck that he thought he had.
At that moment, Hossa’s stick caught Dupuis’, causing it to break in the process. I don’t care how soft Hossa hit Dupuis’ stick, the fact is that it broke. There are two penalties that aren’t judgment calls in the NHL, a high stick that draws blood and a broken stick on a slash. If the evidence is there, then the call must be made. Argue all you want about how Hossa barely touched Dupuis’ stick, the thing broke. And Hossa wouldn’t have been in that situation if he hadn’t hooked Dupes prior.
Remember that the score was tied at 1s. With no hook and slash, Dupuis has a chance to get Malkin a breakaway. Instead of a scoring chance for the Penguins, we somehow come out with a 1 goal deficit.
Detroit fans can argue about missed calls on their end, too, but there was nothing missed that so clearly benefited the Penguins as that non-penalty did for the Wings.
The game is over, so this is the end of my bitching about the refs. There’s only so much that yelling at a television can do to rectify a situation, so I needed a minute to just channel my emotions here.
I just don’t want something this pathetic to be the lethal blow. The series isn’t over, as no home team has lost, but it really woulda been nice to get some breaks on Detroit ice. And I’m not just talking about Dupuis’ stick.
*UPDATE* For some reason, I can’t comment on my own damn site right now, so this update is where it’s at.
A2Y has evidence of the slash possibly not really being a slash.
Good evidence. But where is the evidence against the hook that lead to the “slash?” As I said, without the hook, there’s no reason for Dupes to misplay the puck and have to turn around for it.
Hossa has speed, but the only way he catches up to Dupes right there is with a hook. Remember, both Dupes AND Hossa played on the same line as Sid last year. Dupes isn’t some slow-footed jerk. No hands, maybe, but he’s got wheels.
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