Jason Millen: Jammer's Four Keys to the Western Conference Finals Jammer's Four Keys to the Western Conference Finals

Blues getting an early taste of what makes the sharks so good. Bad officiating going in the favor.

Blues getting an early taste of what makes the sharks so good. Bad officiating going in the favor.
- Antilles

Win regardless of officiating.

So....so far Jones has given up a softie, the Blues are losing special teams and the 1st period. How will the rest unfold?

Cmon blues cmon!! Good first their right in it

Win regardless of officiating.
- Jason Millen

A nice cliche, but completely ridiculous that some teams have to be better than the officials and the opponent while others don't.

I wonder why they waved the icing on the play before the 4th Sharks goal????

I wonder why they waved the icing on the play before the 4th Sharks goal????
- Jason Millen

Thought the same thing, it hit off his skate or the refs, never touched the blues.

Blues getting an early taste of what makes the sharks so good. Bad officiating going in the favor.
- Antilles

- keithward

Yes yes, everyone knows that Sharks fans have no idea what the rules are and think they got here all on their own. Refs have bent sharks opponents over for them the entire playoffs. Just accept it, and be happy they've been good enough to take advantage of the situation they've lucked into.

Of the 39 NHL refs who worked more than a single game this season, only 1 favored the home team more with call distribution than the guys the NHL sent tonight, and it shows.

Blues would have lost with fair officiating. Too many dumb mistakes. On the upside, this team has shown the ability to bounce after game of mailing it in this calendar year.

Yes yes, everyone knows that Sharks fans have no idea what the rules are and think they got here all on their own. Refs have bent sharks opponents over for them the entire playoffs. Just accept it, and be happy they've been good enough to take advantage of the situation they've lucked into.
- Antilles

wow, I don't blame you for not watching all sharks games, but at least don't act like you know better than people who actually watch the games. The sharks lost games in both series at the hand of referees, (bullpoop goals called back or awarded, blatant tripping ignored).

And now, we see the blues doing everything to take out karlsson (uncalled elbows to the face, perron (how ironic) targeting him at the end of the second) and doing their best let's take em out instead of scoring bullpoop. That's when you decide to call the sharks lucky to be there? the blues looked like they didn't belong

wow, I don't blame you for not watching all sharks games, but at least don't act like you know better than people who actually watch the games. The sharks lost games in both series at the hand of referees, (bullpoop goals called back or awarded, blatant tripping ignored).

And now, we see the blues doing everything to take out karlsson (uncalled elbows to the face, perron (how ironic) targeting him at the end of the second) and doing their best let's take em out instead of scoring bullpoop. That's when you decide to call the sharks lucky to be there? the blues looked like they didn't belong
- pl222

Seen all the Sharks games. They've had a few with pretty even officiating, where there were missed calls both ways. They've also had ones like game 7 against Vegas where pretty much everyone without a "I Heart Thornton" tatoo acknowledges that with anything approaching competent officiating, sharks are eliminated. The NHL even admitted they blew the call, & dismissed the officials who made it from the rest of the playoffs.

Other than coincidental minors, the refs called 0 penalties against San Jose tonight, and 4 against St. Louis. The linesman had to step in to call the one penalty SJ did get against them, because the refs "didn't see it." They missed a few the could have called against St. Louis, yes. But they also completely turned a blind eye to absolutely everything sharks did. Bozak gets hooked in the hands, and when refs refuse to call the penalty, catches a shark player with a high stick trying to get free and they only make one call. But when Perron gets high sticked, after the play with no reason, suddenly the rule gets re-written to excuse incidental high sticks.

Refs have given San Jose a super advantageous position over and over these playoffs. Pretending otherwise is either idiocy or willful ignorance.

Yes yes, everyone knows that Sharks fans have no idea what the rules are and think they got here all on their own. Refs have bent sharks opponents over for them the entire playoffs. Just accept it, and be happy they've been good enough to take advantage of the situation they've lucked into.
- Antilles

The sharks scored 5 even strength goals and doubled down on the Blues. This game was not won on officiating. Quit finding excuses.

And yes, the sharks were fortunate with the Vegas series. Nothing wrong with the Avs series. Play was offside, sharks challenged, confirmed offside. Rules are rules!

Refs have given San Jose a super advantageous position over and over these playoffs. Pretending otherwise is either idiocy or willful ignorance.

- Antilles

Speaking of idiocy or willful ignorance; did you not read the blog or did you just skip over the part that said the Sharks are the most penalized team in the playoffs.

Jeez your team loses one game and you're already making ridiculous excuses....

cant control what the refs are going to call but the Blues can control what they do in their own end and the dumb mistakes that they made. I see them play a better game 2

Seen all the Sharks games. They've had a few with pretty even officiating, where there were missed calls both ways. They've also had ones like game 7 against Vegas where pretty much everyone without a "I Heart Thornton" tatoo acknowledges that with anything approaching competent officiating, sharks are eliminated. The NHL even admitted they blew the call, & dismissed the officials who made it from the rest of the playoffs.

Other than coincidental minors, the refs called 0 penalties against San Jose tonight, and 4 against St. Louis. The linesman had to step in to call the one penalty SJ did get against them, because the refs "didn't see it." They missed a few the could have called against St. Louis, yes. But they also completely turned a blind eye to absolutely everything sharks did. Bozak gets hooked in the hands, and when refs refuse to call the penalty, catches a shark player with a high stick trying to get free and they only make one call. But when Perron gets high sticked, after the play with no reason, suddenly the rule gets re-written to excuse incidental high sticks.

Refs have given San Jose a super advantageous position over and over these playoffs. Pretending otherwise is either idiocy or willful ignorance.
- Antilles

Right. And of course Thomas merely accidentally cross-checked Vlassic in the back leaving Reilly wide open for his goal?

As for the Vegas game 7 penalty, I don't fault the refs I fault the league for not allowing reviews of major penalties. What exactly were the refs to do in that situation? Pavelski is unconscious and bleeding profusely and the refs are supposed to not call the penalty they called? If you read the rule it states the following:

"Cross-checking is the action of using the shaft of the stick between the two hands to forcefully check an opponent with no portion of the stick on the ice.

(a) A minor or a major penalty shall be assessed for cross-checking an opponent.

(b) A major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player who injures an opponent as a result of cross-checking."

The NHL rule gives the referees the ability to apply judgment whether a minor or major is appropriate but does not afford them the opportunity to review video of the play to decide. Can you say "set up to fail?"

Q: Did Eakin cross-check Pavelski? Yes
Q: Was he injured? Yes
Q: Did the refs review the video to decide what penalty was appropriate? No, the rules don't allow for video review
Q: Did Eakin intend to injure Pavelski? No, the hit wasn't any worse that 1000 like it during a season
Q: Does what Eakin intended matter? No
Q: Should the rule book be changed to allow calls like that to be reviewed? Yes
Q: Is what happened the Sharks fault? No
Q: Would I be pissed were I a Vegas fan? Yes
Q: Were I a Sharks fan would I feel the Sharks got lucky? Yes
Q: As a hockey fan am I happy with NHL officiating? No
Q: Who do I blame the league or the refs? The league. I have referred 1000+ games in youth sports, in not one was I perfect. It is way too fast a sport to be perfect. Build in a way for refs to correct mistaken calls.

My $0.02.

Things even out in long series and no doubt they will in this one too.

Blues had to many breakdowns and dumb plays and sharks made them pay almost every time. Lesson learned. On to game 2

Yes yes, everyone knows that Sharks fans have no idea what the rules are and think they got here all on their own. Refs have bent sharks opponents over for them the entire playoffs. Just accept it, and be happy they've been good enough to take advantage of the situation they've lucked into.

Get a rule book junior & read it. The game 7 against Vegas when Pavleski got injured is in the rule book #59, Did Eakin cross check him yes & it lead to Pavelski's head hitting the ice, Then it was the Refs discretion, Eakin didn't need to cross check him But he did & now it's the Refs fault.
The Game 7 vs. The AVS Read Rule #83.3 it was off sides. GL Should have got his Butt off the ice faster. He never cleared the zone & Re-Established his self.
I guess your player #9 didn't hit Karlson in the head last night when he went to hit him or Vlasic getting cross checked in front of the net that lead to a goal for your team.
The League apologized to Vegas because they Whine like little Girls, The league is embarrassing them selfs.

Good points Jammer, but we will need to see better officiating than that garbage the other night.

I don't see enough adjustments when JayBo's ice is not being limited and Gunner is being thrown out after disasterous games in his own zone playing his off side. Slow ain't going to cut it, though he had a decent game 7.

Win regardless of officiating.
- Jason Millen

Yes and no.

Blues got to get back to gaps and stopping the lines.

This isn't an issue of officiating. The NHL officiating is inconsistent and poor on more nights than not.

I don't expect something to happen that's not realistic. Most of what I saw - and I turned it off relatively early, the Blues took stupid, but legit penalties and weren't working hard enough to draw any calls. And frankly, I wouldn't want any, they're so bad on the power play.

Game one was all about crappy play from Edmundson, Pietrangelo, Parayko, Tarasenko, Bouwmeester.......

One thing is consistent. Whether the Blues are at their best or at their worst, Alex Pietrangelo is garbage. I can't stand that woman.

Blues will need to upgrade their top 6 defensive corps by 2 in the off season.

Just win tonight.