TORONTO (Mar. 18) -- Just finished watching a terrific game between Pittsburgh and Ottawa, teams that are almost certain to face off in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins won, 4-3, in a shootout, but the game featured maybe the worst penalty call I have seen since the NHL rules crackdown coming out of the lockout. Midway through the third period, a scramble in front of the Penguins net saw Daniel Alfredsson instinctively dart after a loose puck, as would any responsible forward. Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was two feet outside the paint (his semi-oval goalcrease) and Alfredsson had no option but to collide with him. Somehow, referee Mick McGeough judged the play to be goaltender interference on Alfredsson, who reacted with justifiable outrage and was fortunate not to have an unsportsmanlike minor tacked on.
This was the type of ridiculous call that a large faction of NHL general managers and governors is trying to amend. First off, it was simply a screw-up by McGeough. Had the collision occurred inside the goalcrease, perhaps there might have been grounds for a penalty on Alfredsson. But when Fleury muscled his way outside the crease, it was he who actually sparked the contact, and a veteran official like McGeough should have easily been able to see it. Secondly, the NHL must try to eliminate penalty calls that bely the intrinsic nature of the sport. Going after loose pucks around the net is the prime job of a forward... always has been. That sort of battle must be permitted to continue, or the league might as well go to two hours of penalty shots. The overzealous reaction to puck skirmishes, and the chintzy calls that arise from players tapping, not obstructing opponents with their sticks, must be carefully reviewed by the NHL, for it impugns credibility...
The Pittsburgh-Ottawa match -- of considerable significance in the Eastern Conference standings -- was put in the hands of McGeough and fellow veteran Don Koharski, a couple of long-time, but hot-headed officials. It was not a flattering mix. In fact, it was one of the worst-officiated games I have seen all season... a shame given the inevitability of a Penguins-Senators first-round series....
I watched the Ottawa pay-per-view feed of the game on the NHL Centre Ice package, and I enjoyed listening to my pals Dean Brown and Gord Wilson. They were obviously perturbed at McGeough for the Alfredsson penalty call, and for a blatant non-call on Gary Roberts, who drove Sens defenceman Joe Corvo into the boards from behind in overtime. But, solid veterans that they are, Dean and Gord provided plenty of balance in their coverage -- complimenting players from both sides when warranted. It was a top-notch telecast...
In the category of I WAS WRONG, Roberts is a player the Toronto Maple Leafs most certainly could have used down the stretch, and GM John Ferguson was right on the ball trying so dilligently to acquire him from Florida at the trade deadline. I figured Roberts was too worn out at 40-plus to perform with the physical abandon that almost led the Leafs to a berth in the 2002 Stanley Cup final. It seemed logical that five years and many miles stacked upon his fragile body would prevent the battle-hewn veteran from playing to the same level, but a healthy Roberts is proving otherwise in Pittsburgh. He still has the possessed look in his eyes, and there are few players that can handle him when he is barreling in on the forecheck. Also, there is no Roberts facsimile on the current Leafs roster. Ferguson was smart to pursue him, and the Penguins landed a real gem for their playoff drive...
The best part of the long NHL season is just around the corner. I cannot speak for others, but I absolutely live for the Stanley Cup playoffs and I look forward to covering upwards of 25 games each spring for The Fan-590. The unpredictability of recent playoff years, and the emergence of some new teams this season, should make the 2007 Cup tournament all the more appealing. On that note, here are a few Cup final scenarios to consider:
BUFFALO vs. ANAHEIM: My pick from the pre-season (check HockeyBuzz archives if you do not believe me). Still very much a possibility, if Chris Pronger can dodge the injury bug.
NEW JERSEY vs. VANCOUVER: Cannot rule out this one completely. The two best goalies in the NHL this season could well backstop their clubs to a mildly surprising match-up for the Cup.
BUFFALO vs. MINNESOTA: Laugh if you wish, but the Wild has been just about the best team in the league in the second half, and could still out-point Vancouver for top spot in the Northwest Division. Doug Risebrough and Jacques Lemaire should receive plenty of votes for executive and coach of the year.
PITTSBURGH vs. DETROIT: The Penguins look a lot like the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning and the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes -- clubs that came out of nowehere to win the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings, meanwhile, roll on as the best organization in hockey, year after year, and are much more than a team which merely feeds off Columbus and Chicago in its division. Back-to-back wins over a banged-up Nashville club last week proved how tough Detroit could be.
BUFFALO vs. VANCOUVER: Not a far-fetched possibility that would feature the two teams that joined the NHL in the 1970 expansion.
ATLANTA vs. DETROIT: In the dreams of Don Waddell.
BUFFALO vs. NASHVILLE: The Predators need Peter Forsberg, Steve Sullivan and Martin Erat healthy, but they are legitimate contenders in the Western Conference this season.
TORONTO vs. CALGARY: Good night... I am starting to hallucinate.
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