Eklund: Should Refs Change the Book Late in Games and Overtime?

No!

a penalty is a penalty, doesn't matter what period it's in or how much time is left on the clock.

Change books? They can't even read the one they have. They have no concept of how to call a proper playoff game.

How many times have we seen a player get mugged so bad it looks like a horse collar tackle go uncalled only to see some tiny little hold get called because the fans got upset?

They're a joke. Let's not make them have to change the book until they learn how to read the first god damn book. I'm at the point where I almost want a 1 ref system back in place. At least than you get a semblance of consistency. 2 refs call 2 different games in 3 different zones.

WTF - they should never change the rule book or the way they call it. Unfortunately we all know that doesn't happen, disappointing!!!

Absolutely NOT! It drives me nuts that they think it's their job to manage a game and call get even penalties etc.

Absolutely NOT! It drives me nuts that they think it's their job to manage a game and call get even penalties etc.
- TJ

You better pray the refs don't decide to even up the Rangers-Flyers series in penalties. We'd be on the power play for the next 2 games straight.

You better pray the refs don't decide to even up the Rangers-Flyers series in penalties. We'd be on the power play for the next 2 games straight.
- Flyersgod

Flyers play with truculence, testosterone and pugnacity...normal that they take more penalties.

Flyers play with truculence, testosterone and pugnacity...normal that they take more penalties.
- Symba007

Have you seen the series? Flyers haven't played with much of anything.

Rangers interfere on a shift by shift basis. It's pretty brutal the officiating the Flyers have received thus far. By far the worst of all the series.

Have you seen the series? Flyers haven't played with much of anything.

Rangers interfere on a shift by shift basis. It's pretty brutal the officiating the Flyers have received thus far. By far the worst of all the series.
- Flyersgod

to be honest, only watched a few minutes here and there.

16 playoff teams - Who has had the most powerplays/least power plays-

1. Pens (No surprise here) 25pps
2. Dal 24
3. Stl 23
4. CBJ 22
5. SJS 22
6. ANA 22
7. NYR 20
8. DET 20
9. CHI 18
10. COL 18
11. LAK 17
12. BOS 16
13. MIN 15
14. MTL 13
15. PHI 11
16. TBL 7

nothing worse than an inconsistent officiating staff. make a decision. stick with them through the entire game.
don't go changing rules, just call the game the right way. if you're going to be strict, be strict the entire game. if you're going to let them play, let them play the entire game. don't let them play and then with a minute remaining call a penalty that was no worse than what you've been letting go all game long.

to be honest, only watched a few minutes here and there.
- Symba007

It's bad man. Really bad. Both ways of course.

Hartnell takes a 2 handed slash on the wrists as he tries to dump the puck in.. yells in pain.. no call...

Voracek gets hooked so bad it spins him around.. while spinning he comes down with a 1 handed slash on a Ranger... gets call for the slash.

It's actually pretty comical. You can predict when the penalties start to happen. If the Flyers have any kind of momentum, they will be called for anything (even if they're being tackled on the ice). The moving picks the Rangers set up are pretty funny too. It's not even legal in basketball but it's let go in these games.

Off the face off? The Rangers don't even bother with the puck, they just block players from getting out to the pointmen. It's hilarious.

I can't stand complaining about referees. I think you make your own luck 99% of the time. That being said, yeah this NY/Philly series has been one of the more lopsided I can remember when it comes to whistles.

Hey, if you make a reputation for yourself, these things will happen, I suppose.

How about calling all the cross checking that goes on nowadays
The league I think sees that increased revenues come from people wanting to see skilled players showcasing their skills and not a bunch of 6'4" 240 lbs guys out their mugging it up.
But I do believe the front office tells the refs how they want them to call a game
All this after the whistle B S can end by simply calling a penalty or two to set the tone of the game

I kinda like it when they swallow the whistles in OT. I think you still have to make the calls to blatant infractions, but I'd hate seeing a ticky-tack hook where the stick grazes a jersey under someone's elbow decide a game in OT.

It's bad man. Really bad. Both ways of course.

Hartnell takes a 2 handed slash on the wrists as he tries to dump the puck in.. yells in pain.. no call...

Voracek gets hooked so bad it spins him around.. while spinning he comes down with a 1 handed slash on a Ranger... gets call for the slash.

It's actually pretty comical. You can predict when the penalties start to happen. If the Flyers have any kind of momentum, they will be called for anything (even if they're being tackled on the ice). The moving picks the Rangers set up are pretty funny too. It's not even legal in basketball but it's let go in these games.

Off the face off? The Rangers don't even bother with the puck, they just block players from getting out to the pointmen. It's hilarious.
- Flyersgod

I guess Bettman wants the rangers to advance

Eklund: Should Refs Change the Book Late in Games and Overtime?
- Eklund

It's embarrassing to not make that call on Coyle's EN. The chances of an NHL forward hitting the net from that range are pretty good. More than pretty good. He nearly had his stick ripped out of his hands.

The refs did more than decide the game. They handed it to the Avalanche.

I can't imagine what any fan of the Minnesota Wild actually thinks about it.

I guess Bettman wants the rangers to advance
- molly2522

Bettman has nothing to do with it. Dear god lets not kindle that arguement.

You better pray the refs don't decide to even up the Rangers-Flyers series in penalties. We'd be on the power play for the next 2 games straight.
- Flyersgod

Flyers run up multiple penalties when the game is already lost, trying to send a message about, "what they bring to the table". Not even the worst refs in the world are going to even those idiot penalties out.

It's embarrassing to not make that call on Coyle's EN. The chances of an NHL forward hitting the net from that range are pretty good. More than pretty good. He nearly had his stick ripped out of his hands.

The refs did more than decide the game. They handed it to the Avalanche.

I can't imagine what any fan of the Minnesota Wild actually thinks about it.
- njdevils350

It was an atrocity. I wonder which NHL God would win out if Crosby went up against the the great Patrick Roy?

First of all, whether a ref calls an infraction at a "critical moment" or not, it influences the game. There is no getting around this reality. Call the infraction, give a power play. Don't call, deprive a team from a power play. Either way it influences the game.

It's clear the refs get direction on how to call the games (though they obviously don't all follow those directives in lockstep). When Stephen Walkom was in charge after the 05 lockout, refereeing was far more consistent from beginning to end of games and seasons. Rules that had been "ignored" were now being applied with hitherto unforeseen rigour. The "clutch and grab" era was over. But that didn't make everyone happy. "Too many power plays" cried some (usually teams with bad power play units or bad PK units)--even though the trend was downward as players adjusted. More insidious was pressure to lighten up on the interference calls--the slower, lesser skilled teams couldn't keep up. Eventually, Walkom had enough and went back to refereeing on the ice. Gregson took over and the tables turned. While hooking was still enforced with some consistency, we've seen a return to unpenalized interference on an increasing basis--thus giving the lesser skilled teams what they wanted.

I much preferred the severe reduction in interference and "clutch and grab" hockey in the first few seasons after the 05 lockout to what goes on today (though it's still much better today than before the 04-05 lockout--1995 to 2004 was painful enough that I stopped watching hockey on a regular basis, with all-New Jersey, all the time style of play).

NHL refereeing should be a lot more like NFL refereeing. I don't seen NFL refs disregarding penalties because "it's late in the game" or other such nonsense. No reason why the NHL, in that regard, should be any different.

Flyers run up multiple penalties when the game is already lost, trying to send a message about, "what they bring to the table". Not even the worst refs in the world are going to even those idiot penalties out.
- TJ

God knows they've done this before, but not so much this series as a whole. It's been a lot of missed calls, too. But hey, this is gonna go nowhere between our perspectives, obviously. We're naturally gonna see differently.

So back to the topic at hand...


That one that hurt Minnesota falls under the "blatant" catagory. Those gotta be called

First of all, whether a ref calls an infraction at a "critical moment" or not, it influences the game. There is no getting around this reality. Call the infraction, give a power play. Don't call, deprive a team from a power play. Either way it influences the game.

It's clear the refs get direction on how to call the games (though they obviously don't all follow those directives in lockstep). When Stephen Walkom was in charge after the 05 lockout, refereeing was far more consistent from beginning to end of games and seasons. Rules that had been "ignored" were now being applied with hitherto unforeseen rigour. The "clutch and grab" era was over. But that didn't make everyone happy. "Too many power plays" cried some (usually teams with bad power play units or bad PK units)--even though the trend was downward as players adjusted. More insidious was pressure to lighten up on the interference calls--the slower, lesser skilled teams couldn't keep up. Eventually, Walkom had enough and went back to refereeing on the ice. Gregson took over and the tables turned. While hooking was still enforced with some consistency, we've seen a return to unpenalized interference on an increasing basis--thus giving the lesser skilled teams what they wanted.

I much preferred the severe reduction in interference and "clutch and grab" hockey in the first few seasons after the 05 lockout to what goes on today (though it's still much better today than before the 04-05 lockout--1995 to 2004 was painful enough that I stopped watching hockey on a regular basis, with all-New Jersey, all the time style of play).

NHL refereeing should be a lot more like NFL refereeing. I don't seen NFL refs disregarding penalties because "it's late in the game" or other such nonsense. No reason why the NHL, in that regard, should be any different.
- Ovation

Agree with you 100%. Great write up.

First of all, whether a ref calls an infraction at a "critical moment" or not, it influences the game. There is no getting around this reality. Call the infraction, give a power play. Don't call, deprive a team from a power play. Either way it influences the game.

It's clear the refs get direction on how to call the games (though they obviously don't all follow those directives in lockstep). When Stephen Walkom was in charge after the 05 lockout, refereeing was far more consistent from beginning to end of games and seasons. Rules that had been "ignored" were now being applied with hitherto unforeseen rigour. The "clutch and grab" era was over. But that didn't make everyone happy. "Too many power plays" cried some (usually teams with bad power play units or bad PK units)--even though the trend was downward as players adjusted. More insidious was pressure to lighten up on the interference calls--the slower, lesser skilled teams couldn't keep up. Eventually, Walkom had enough and went back to refereeing on the ice. Gregson took over and the tables turned. While hooking was still enforced with some consistency, we've seen a return to unpenalized interference on an increasing basis--thus giving the lesser skilled teams what they wanted.

I much preferred the severe reduction in interference and "clutch and grab" hockey in the first few seasons after the 05 lockout to what goes on today (though it's still much better today than before the 04-05 lockout--1995 to 2004 was painful enough that I stopped watching hockey on a regular basis, with all-New Jersey, all the time style of play).

NHL refereeing should be a lot more like NFL refereeing. I don't seen NFL refs disregarding penalties because "it's late in the game" or other such nonsense. No reason why the NHL, in that regard, should be any different.
- Ovation

Nice job completely agree
My perfect NHL scenario is all team playing on an Olympic ice surface or something close so only skilled players make up teams