OK, this is the first time in a long time that I have actually heard one of the analysts, announcers, etc. criticize the NHL officiating. I am surprised, because I thought there was a memo from the NHL that players, reporters, announcers, etc. were not allowed to publicly say anything bad about the officials or they would be fined or not allowed to report, etc.?
His criticism was over three plays: play one was the Jagr hook on Malkin to get the puck for the game winning goal in the double overtime of game 3 of the Bruins / Pens series, play two was the horrible call in the Wings / Hawks game which disallowed a goal when Saad was being dumped into the Wings bench by a Wings player, and the third was the hit Sid took in the Bruins zone on the powerplay, in Game 4 when he never even touched the puck.
Let me first say that as a Pens fan, the lack of calls was not why they lost, so if they would have gotten a call, who knows if it would have had an impact and that is not why I am talking about this. That being said as a fan, I am just tired of the lack of consistency from official to official and from regular season to the playoffs. I understand those guys have a tough job watching the entire ice and seeing all that goes on. In addition, what looks like a penalty from halfway up the ice, sometimes doesn't look that obvious at a different angle. My issues is that if you aren't going to call it 100% of the time in the playoffs, then let the players play that way all year long. Why does the NHL have two different standards of play? It makes no sense to me that you over enforce rules during the regular season and then ignore them in the playoffs where you are determining who is the best team playing within the rules of the game.
So do you think Milbury will get in trouble?
Do you agree or disagree with the way the NHL officiates the regular season vs. playoffs?
I can't stand Milbury on a general basis as an announcer, this was actually one of the few times I liked what I heard, maybe because nobody has ever questioned the "integrity" of the game.
I cant stand it, I saw some stupid calls and calls not being made on both sides! they really need to get it together!
Consistency.
all the announcers talk about officiating and the word they use consistency.
If it is a penalty in the first period, it is a penalty in he 3rd or OT
I am so glad Mick Mr McGOO is no longer ref'ing . He was the worst
More consistency would be nice for sure, you still are going to have those bad calls no matter, as many times it is so much easier for the fans or the announcers etc.. to see them as we/they get all the camera angles and slow motion ta boot, and it's not so easy to do at game speed and with all that is going on. I'm actually amazed at how many times the Linesmen get the call right on the blue line, as real speed all you can say while watching was "that was close" and then they do the replay and you see the guys skate or the puck cross the line or not cross the line and how close it was to going either way. But yeah the double standard of when in the season and when in the game as to how they call the game is messed up, or even game to game at times as officials crack down hard sometimes. Yes I understand they have to let them play more to a point in Playoffs as the intensity increases, but only to a point. Doesn't help when the players are out there trying to win Oscars, maybe the league needs to crack down on players when they embellish things obviously (though won't happen as they union, and would probably be just as messed up as player suspensions are for bad hits, as total lack of consistency there also).
Never was a fan of Milbury as he has his "homer glasses" on way too much and those guys should have little bias far as teams go, that and he likes to stick his foot in his mouth, so imagine he will hear about it from someone. Yet he still doesn't annoy me as much as the Sharks announcers, maybe that is due to Geographics and fact that their games and the Canucks on here in Oregon on Comcast Sports (though I got Center Ice with the short season and could watch whatever I wanted this year which was nice, and wasn't just stuck with those two teams games, besides the ones on National TV).
Dwight, I agree the officials do have a tough job and cannot see everything, however there are 2 of them on the ice and some of the "penalties" not called are so obvious that Mr. Magoo and his 4% eyesight would have seen them from a mile away. A high stick to someones head is a high stick. A hit on a player without the puck is still interference at any place on the ice or even roughing for that matter. Failure to call it only allows for possible injuries, as was the whole reason for the new checking from behind and boarding rules enforcement this year. They say they want to protect players, but then don't by not enforcing rules in existence.
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