HOW THE FINALS WERE OFFICIATED

[rickshaw]

Putting aside the result, I was wondering what non partisan fans thought of how the games were called in the Finals?

 

I know the Canucks got the penalty edge in the end, but what did you think of how the games were called?

 

Did you see the Canucks as whiners and divers or were the Bruins getting away with the "old NHL standard of playoff officiating?"

 

Did you think the league took a step back in terms of how the games were called?

 

I've moved on from the Finals but here is how I feel. My take is that the Bruins took their game to the street and basically whacked and smacked so much that the refs could only call so many penalties. They were definitely the more physical team and more chippy team and by the time game 7 came around, the Canucks were spent. This is clearly advantage Boston.

 

I am a fan of how the Sabres played post lock out. How they tried to outskill and outskate teams. I'm all for some toughness, definitely. I am also a fan of how the Canucks play. Trying to outscore teams, outskate, etc. But the way the games were called in the Finals, especially games 3 thru 6, the team with more skill and speed was nowhere to be found. Letting guys like Chara two hand you over and over and over and not have to pay for it, that clearly takes it toll on the smaller, skilled guys.

 

I'm not a fan of how the Canucks tried to bait the refs into calls after the real calls weren't being made. I do have issues with a guy taking 5 punches to the head and the receiver getting 2 mins for taking them??

 

I think the NHL let the reffing slip, go back to pre lockout reffing and for that the Bruins definitely gained an advantage. This concerns me for the Sabres and Canucks as they've built their teams with speed and skill and apparently in the end, that won't matter if games are reffed differently in the playoffs. No sour grapes guys, just how I feel.

[Weave]

Let those grapes ripen a bit before eating. :P

[X. Benedict]

Interesting thoughts.

 

In possible elimination games I thought the refs showed the greatest reluctance to make normal calls. This was an advantage to Boston for two reasons. A) Boston has the worst power play ever to win a Stanley Cup in recent memory so trading PP's wasn't in their interest. B) It limited the space of Vancouver's skill players - a lot more borderline obstruction.

 

But more than the refs...I think that calling the game is a great equalizer for slower teams (Boston) and grinds down skill players.

 

The season goes so long that the Stanley Cup isn't so much the game played at its highest level (how can it be after 100 games?) But about 3rd and 4th line depth.

[Marvelo]

Not much comment on the officiating during the games. It was a gruelling series with lots of miles logged coast to coast. The ticky-tack penalties so common during the Bettman era still persist. What I'm wondering about is how "severe" a concussion did Nathan Horton really get? How could he have hopped on a plane to go to Vancouver for Game 7? He was also riding and joking around in the parade. I think the B's flimflammed the league into the 4 game Rome's suspension. There could have been other suspensions, for that biting incident as well as Boychuk's hit. There was quite a bit of flopping and looking back to the ref's by the Nucks. I think the league is suspect here with the suspensions but maybe Colin Campbell's departure and Shanahan's appointment will help things in the future.

[shrader]

Not much comment on the officiating during the games. It was a gruelling series with lots of miles logged coast to coast. The ticky-tack penalties so common during the Bettman era still persist. What I'm wondering about is how "severe" a concussion did Nathan Horton really get? How could he have hopped on a plane to go to Vancouver for Game 7? He was also riding and joking around in the parade. I think the B's flimflammed the league into the 4 game Rome's suspension. There could have been other suspensions, for that biting incident as well as Boychuk's hit. There was quite a bit of flopping and looking back to the ref's by the Nucks. I think the league is suspect here with the suspensions but maybe Colin Campbell's departure and Shanahan's appointment will help things in the future.

 

I think you may actually be onto something with this one with Horton. They're reporting today that he has suffered a separated shoulder in game 7 against Tampa. There was definitely a concussion in that hit, but it could very easily have finished the shoulder off too. Did he hold the cup over his head in the celebration?

[Taro T]

It seems to me that going back to the 1st Pens-Wings final that the league lets a lot of stuff go in the Finals that does get called earlier in the playoffs and in the regular season.

 

It definitely affected the play in this year's finals. But after watching game 7 between the Bolts & the Bruins, could anyone have doubted that the finals would be called the way they were?

 

And, though I thought the reffing was poor in the finals, I blame the Canucks for their not winning the series. Though they (and the Bruins as well) should have had a lot more pp opportunities, there is no reason for me to believe they'd've solved the B's pk w/ the additional chances. If anything, additional calls could've resulted in more B's shorties.

[Marvelo]

I think you may actually be onto something with this one with Horton. They're reporting today that he has suffered a separated shoulder in game 7 against Tampa. There was definitely a concussion in that hit, but it could very easily have finished the shoulder off too. Did he hold the cup over his head in the celebration?

 

In the parade he was riding on top of one of those duck boats. When I saw him, he ran his hand back over his brushcut just to show how smooth it was. There was no cast and he didn't look any worse for wear. The cup was several duckboats up from him. I didn't see him raise the cup. Here's more...apparently now instead a "severe concussion", he's "symptom free."

 

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=928544

[Two or less]

Putting aside the result, I was wondering what non partisan fans thought of how the games were called in the Finals?

 

I know the Canucks got the penalty edge in the end, but what did you think of how the games were called?

 

Did you see the Canucks as whiners and divers or were the Bruins getting away with the "old NHL standard of playoff officiating?"

 

Did you think the league took a step back in terms of how the games were called?

 

I've moved on from the Finals but here is how I feel. My take is that the Bruins took their game to the street and basically whacked and smacked so much that the refs could only call so many penalties. They were definitely the more physical team and more chippy team and by the time game 7 came around, the Canucks were spent. This is clearly advantage Boston.

 

I am a fan of how the Sabres played post lock out. How they tried to outskill and outskate teams. I'm all for some toughness, definitely. I am also a fan of how the Canucks play. Trying to outscore teams, outskate, etc. But the way the games were called in the Finals, especially games 3 thru 6, the team with more skill and speed was nowhere to be found. Letting guys like Chara two hand you over and over and over and not have to pay for it, that clearly takes it toll on the smaller, skilled guys.

 

I'm not a fan of how the Canucks tried to bait the refs into calls after the real calls weren't being made. I do have issues with a guy taking 5 punches to the head and the receiver getting 2 mins for taking them??

 

I think the NHL let the reffing slip, go back to pre lockout reffing and for that the Bruins definitely gained an advantage. This concerns me for the Sabres and Canucks as they've built their teams with speed and skill and apparently in the end, that won't matter if games are reffed differently in the playoffs. No sour grapes guys, just how I feel.

 

The NHL finals were a joke and was as much bush league as possible. Through 6 games of the finals, these were the most penalized finals ever. Game 7 these refs let everything go. Kesler slashed.. no call. Vancouver had too many men and they almost even scored, no call. Tons of other calls. CBC guy (Freidmann i think?) said on twitter that he's spoken to a ref mid way through 2nd period and they've missed 6 obvious calls already. It's too bad that these were the same refs as the no penalty BS game in game 7 of TB/Bos.

[apuszczalowski]

I would say it was more of the same.

 

Canucks did alot of diving and looking for calls, the Bruins did alot of their usual "cheap shot/dirty playing" and both teams had stuff called and some stuff let go by the refs.

 

The inconsistency of the penalties/suspensions is what I think was the worst.

 

"the Bite" deserved a penalty, maybe, but it did not look intentional, just a reaction to someone sticking their hand in your mouth. He didn't grab the players hand and try and bite it, the hand was shoved into his mouth and his reaction was to clamp down.

 

"the concussion" did not deserve what the league gave out. Sure Horton was hurt, but the league even said it was not dirty, just a little late. If this deserved a 4 game suspension, then Campbell deserved one too for his hit on Umberger. Horton failed to follow one of the first things they teach kids on hockey, keep your head up and on a swivel when comming accross the middle of the ice. He was busy admiring his pass and was hit. No suspension should have been given.

 

"The non-call broken back" if the hit on Horton deserved a 4 game suspension to go along with a penalty and game misconduct, how does this not get even a penalty? He was driven backwards into the boards without the puck (took them a while to even find a replay for tv because the cameras were following the puck and the play on the ice. He was in a vulnerable position (like Horton) and he also suffered a serious injury. This makes the league look even more bush league by not looking into any further discipline in that hit. Add in Chara getting nothing for trying to take off the Canadians players head earlier in the year and it makes the Rome suspension look even worse

 

The inconcsistency is making the league look like a joke and look like its favouring some teams over others. I don't think that the end result would have been much different if they calls were made differently, the Canucks "stars" were invisible this round, and Luongo looked like he should be in the minors when they played in boston. Thats why they lost. The NHL just needs to be consistent in what deserves a suspension and what doesn't. Thats all the fans are asking for

[dEnnis the Menace]

I think you may actually be onto something with this one with Horton. They're reporting today that he has suffered a separated shoulder in game 7 against Tampa. There was definitely a concussion in that hit, but it could very easily have finished the shoulder off too. Did he hold the cup over his head in the celebration?

 

ESPN is even reporting that he says he has been symptom free for days now. <_<

[sabre4life]

I would say it was more of the same.

 

Canucks did alot of diving and looking for calls, the Bruins did alot of their usual "cheap shot/dirty playing" and both teams had stuff called and some stuff let go by the refs.

 

The inconsistency of the penalties/suspensions is what I think was the worst.

 

"the Bite" deserved a penalty, maybe, but it did not look intentional, just a reaction to someone sticking their hand in your mouth. He didn't grab the players hand and try and bite it, the hand was shoved into his mouth and his reaction was to clamp down.

 

"the concussion" did not deserve what the league gave out. Sure Horton was hurt, but the league even said it was not dirty, just a little late. If this deserved a 4 game suspension, then Campbell deserved one too for his hit on Umberger. Horton failed to follow one of the first things they teach kids on hockey, keep your head up and on a swivel when comming accross the middle of the ice. He was busy admiring his pass and was hit. No suspension should have been given.

 

"The non-call broken back" if the hit on Horton deserved a 4 game suspension to go along with a penalty and game misconduct, how does this not get even a penalty? He was driven backwards into the boards without the puck (took them a while to even find a replay for tv because the cameras were following the puck and the play on the ice. He was in a vulnerable position (like Horton) and he also suffered a serious injury. This makes the league look even more bush league by not looking into any further discipline in that hit. Add in Chara getting nothing for trying to take off the Canadians players head earlier in the year and it makes the Rome suspension look even worse

 

The inconcsistency is making the league look like a joke and look like its favouring some teams over others. I don't think that the end result would have been much different if they calls were made differently, the Canucks "stars" were invisible this round, and Luongo looked like he should be in the minors when they played in boston. Thats why they lost. The NHL just needs to be consistent in what deserves a suspension and what doesn't. Thats all the fans are asking for

 

Agree 100%... The raymond incident should have been penalized... The ref's do what they normally do and only call the blatant stuff so that they don't effect the outcome of the game, but what they need to realize they are part of it and shouldn't put the whistle away... both sides had non-calls...

 

Let's not forget about richards though in the first round... he shouldn't have been playing after his first head hunting session. The league themselves have to abide by their rules before the players do. I'm tired of the excuse of "keep your head up" all hits to the head should be game misconducts regardless of degree and type of player. You get it out of the game by enforcing it. Just tell the refs "call it" it's no longer "your call". Yeah it's harsh but didn't the players ruin it for themselves by disrespecting their peers.

 

I really hope Shanny will curb this mentallity but I'm not holding my breath.

[X. Benedict]

ESPN is even reporting that he says he has been symptom free for days now. <_<

Even if that is true....I don't think dirty hits should be judged by the severity of the injury.

 

A dirty hit should be a dirty hit.

[shrader]

Even if that is true....I don't think dirty hits should be judged by the severity of the injury.

 

A dirty hit should be a dirty hit.

 

That's fine. But we may have finally reached the point where there needs to be more clarity in the reporting of injuries. Poor reasoning or not, the NHL said the suspension was based off of the injury and now it looks like the injury may have been exaggerated. I'm sure there are a ton of legal hurdles here, but I think at this point, all medical reports need to go directly to the league. From there, they can be kept private and away from the media and other teams. If they're going to suspend based on injuries (again, a weak basis), the league needs to know exactly what these injuries are.

[Guest]

The Nucks looked like fools with their diving (not all of them mind you) and the Sedins don't have a quarter of a sack between the two. Daniel getting bit*h slapped 7 times by a pint sized ROOKIE on national TV and just standing there like a jackass (by the way, RIP Ryan Dunn), made me want to backhand him 5 or 6 times myself.

 

The NHL turned their heads all year long regarding the Bruins. They let them get away with nothing but cheap shots, late hits, slashes, punches, cross checks etc. all throughout the 2010/11 playoffs. Could Colon Campbell's douchebag son playing for the Bruins have something to do with it?....nah, this is the NHL, that stuff doesn't happen.

 

IMO another big difference in the finals were the conditions of the ice and the difference between the two rinks. The ice in Boston was like skating on the Erie Canal in the the middle of March....it sucked, and that took Vancouver off their games. Big slow goons have no problem playing canal hockey.

[rickshaw]

I would say it was more of the same.

 

Canucks did alot of diving and looking for calls, the Bruins did alot of their usual "cheap shot/dirty playing" and both teams had stuff called and some stuff let go by the refs.

 

The inconsistency of the penalties/suspensions is what I think was the worst.

 

"the Bite" deserved a penalty, maybe, but it did not look intentional, just a reaction to someone sticking their hand in your mouth. He didn't grab the players hand and try and bite it, the hand was shoved into his mouth and his reaction was to clamp down.

 

"the concussion" did not deserve what the league gave out. Sure Horton was hurt, but the league even said it was not dirty, just a little late. If this deserved a 4 game suspension, then Campbell deserved one too for his hit on Umberger. Horton failed to follow one of the first things they teach kids on hockey, keep your head up and on a swivel when comming accross the middle of the ice. He was busy admiring his pass and was hit. No suspension should have been given.

 

"The non-call broken back" if the hit on Horton deserved a 4 game suspension to go along with a penalty and game misconduct, how does this not get even a penalty? He was driven backwards into the boards without the puck (took them a while to even find a replay for tv because the cameras were following the puck and the play on the ice. He was in a vulnerable position (like Horton) and he also suffered a serious injury. This makes the league look even more bush league by not looking into any further discipline in that hit. Add in Chara getting nothing for trying to take off the Canadians players head earlier in the year and it makes the Rome suspension look even worse

 

The inconcsistency is making the league look like a joke and look like its favouring some teams over others. I don't think that the end result would have been much different if they calls were made differently, the Canucks "stars" were invisible this round, and Luongo looked like he should be in the minors when they played in boston. Thats why they lost. The NHL just needs to be consistent in what deserves a suspension and what doesn't. Thats all the fans are asking for

 

 

You see, I think that all the two hand slashes not being called did indeed affect the final outcome in the end. The Canucks skilled players had nothing left to give. They were worn down by the end of it all and it showed.

 

As for Sedins not having balls to fight back, why should they have to? They've always been between the whistles players. Always will be to and isn't that what the NHL wants? Nothing after the whistles, yet they let it go on anyway. Possibly it's time to start penalizing players more harshly for after the whistle stuff. ie. Marchand not only gets a penalty but he's essentially risking suspension for the following game. Maybe that is the way to clean up the stupidity after the whistles. Marchand knew nothing would or could happen. It's game 6, it's over and there's no time for payback in game 7. It was set up perfectly for him. And btw if Sedin had fought back and gotten hurt then there would have been people saying play your game and don't fall for that stuff. No win situation for him.

[beerme1]

The OP is about right with his assesment. Canucks whine and dive about everything and the Bruins get away with a lot. But dont think the Canucks didn't deserve what they were getting either. Intentional biting or not dont you want to hurt someone that does that to you?

 

The refs? This is the NHL and is exactly what we can expect from the officials abnd it does make the league bush and that will never change. I am confused by some people ripping them for game 7 Bruins vs Lightning. I felt privileged to have been able to see that game. If you didn't like that stop watching hockey.

Is there any sport that the officiating doesn't get it right all the time? Of course.

[Marvelo]

That's fine. But we may have finally reached the point where there needs to be more clarity in the reporting of injuries. Poor reasoning or not, the NHL said the suspension was based off of the injury and now it looks like the injury may have been exaggerated. I'm sure there are a ton of legal hurdles here, but I think at this point, all medical reports need to go directly to the league. From there, they can be kept private and away from the media and other teams. If they're going to suspend based on injuries (again, a weak basis), the league needs to know exactly what these injuries are.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6615288

 

If Colin Campbell was excused from making any disciplinary rulings during the cup finals, who exactly was making these rulings?? Sounds like maybe someone who was inexperienced at that job. Why would they change the Discipline Czar right before the most important series of the year? Seems to me that the 4 game penalty handed to Rome was reactionary on the NHL's part, especially after the latest revelations about Horton's non-injury. It goes without saying that one team shouldn't be able to dictate the suspension of an opposition player during a series by lying about an injury. Maybe it's all part of the Chinese Fire Drill that is the Bettman administration. Doesn't he ever notice that he gets booed everywhere he goes?

[North Buffalo]

The reffing was about what I expected except the four game suspension. That being said, head shots and late hits have to be eliminated for the game to grow.

 

Driving a guy into the boards with an arm on the top of the shoulders has to result in a suspension too a la Richards on Connolly should result in a series suspension.

 

Too many skilled guys are getting eliminated from the game and that is what attracts the casual viewer during the playoffs.

 

The biting thing was bush league and he should have been suspended for actions unbecoming to the league if nothing else. The Bruin (Marchand?) was sticking his finger in Burrows mouth though, so some of the bite was deserved imo.

 

As far as the series goes the Sedin's disappeared under the physical pressure and never found a way to step up. The better skill teams find a way to do both show their skill and play physical a la Detroit and Chicago most recently.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I think you guys are making too much of the Horton thing ... yeah, it turned out to be not as bad as feared but they had to make a decision the next day, and there is no way he was faking it when his arm was sticking up while his eyes were rolling back in his head. And no matter how severe it was or wasn't, it WAS enough to keep him out of the rest of the series. If he had returned for Game 5 or something I could see the complaints. I am pretty sure if you asked any Canucks fan before the series if they would take losing Rome if Boston lost Horton, they would have taken it in a heartbeat.

[Guest]

You see, I think that all the two hand slashes not being called did indeed affect the final outcome in the end. The Canucks skilled players had nothing left to give. They were worn down by the end of it all and it showed.

 

As for Sedins not having balls to fight back, why should they have to? They've always been between the whistles players. Always will be to and isn't that what the NHL wants? Nothing after the whistles, yet they let it go on anyway. Possibly it's time to start penalizing players more harshly for after the whistle stuff. ie. Marchand not only gets a penalty but he's essentially risking suspension for the following game. Maybe that is the way to clean up the stupidity after the whistles. Marchand knew nothing would or could happen. It's game 6, it's over and there's no time for payback in game 7. It was set up perfectly for him. And btw if Sedin had fought back and gotten hurt then there would have been people saying play your game and don't fall for that stuff. No win situation for him.

I think Sedin should have realized this too and gone after that little smurf. Maybe then coincidental minors are called, but at least by Sedin fighting back he is sending a message to his team AND the Bruins and maybe gives Vancouver that extra spark they needed. I myself would have stood up and cheered if Sedin fought back, and I'm not a big Sedin fan to begin with. But I would have respected him a lot more for standing up to a dirty little POS player. I just have to wonder what his teammates were thinking after seeing him get slapped around like that.

[thesportsbuff]

I think you guys are making too much of the Horton thing ... yeah, it turned out to be not as bad as feared but they had to make a decision the next day, and there is no way he was faking it when his arm was sticking up while his eyes were rolling back in his head. And no matter how severe it was or wasn't, it WAS enough to keep him out of the rest of the series. If he had returned for Game 5 or something I could see the complaints. I am pretty sure if you asked any Canucks fan before the series if they would take losing Rome if Boston lost Horton, they would have taken it in a heartbeat.

 

thanks for bringing this thread back to reality. :thumbsup: +1

[shrader]

I think you guys are making too much of the Horton thing ... yeah, it turned out to be not as bad as feared but they had to make a decision the next day, and there is no way he was faking it when his arm was sticking up while his eyes were rolling back in his head. And no matter how severe it was or wasn't, it WAS enough to keep him out of the rest of the series. If he had returned for Game 5 or something I could see the complaints. I am pretty sure if you asked any Canucks fan before the series if they would take losing Rome if Boston lost Horton, they would have taken it in a heartbeat.

 

That hit could do some serious damage to an already injured shoulder. So was it that or the concussion that kept him out for a longer period of time? The real BS here is still the NHL's explanation of that suspension. We all know it was because of the hit to the head, but for some reason they try to distance themselves from that by saying it was nothing but a late hit. Why are they so scared of letting it be known that they want to phase out hits to the head?

[bunomatic]

I'm of the opinion that the canucks got right down in the gutter with the Bruins and I didn't see a marked difference in who was the dirtier team. Canucks hacked and wacked just as much and there were a lot of spear type jabs to bruins players groin areas that I saw go unpunished. If anything the canucks simply let the Bruins get them off their game and with Luongo in net they couldn't recover. Thomas won and deserved the m.v.p. for a reason. He was stellar the whole finals. This isn't the first game 7 I've seen the refs put away the whistles and it won't be the last. The canucks could have and should have used that to their advantage. They didn't, the Bruins did.

[nobody]

The canucks could have and should have used that to their advantage. They didn't, the Bruins did.

 

Agreed - especially in their home games - have to take advantage of the home ice officiating.

[SwampD]

Other than the 4 game suspension (which I thought was too much) I thought the officiating was completely unbiased,.. and I was rooting for Vancouver.

 

I also don't think the finals right after the lockout were officiated any differently, either. It's the reason we lost to Ottawa and the reason Ottawa lost to Anaheim. It's also the reason why I wasn't all that upset on that fateful July 1st that everyone talks about.