Too bad about your eyes. The rest of the world saw the Leafs getting owned last night.
- fifty__missions

That's your wounded heart talking ....mine hurts too ..but many of us also choose to use our brain.

Didnt watch the game but I got my summary from him


- Symba007

Thanks for reminding me I need to watch this.

it is
I dont get why the league would want those optics..even if lets say it has no bearing on the outcome. the 0-8
- senstroll

Why havent the leafs made a stink about this?

Game 2.

Already a must win.

seem like a normal league
- senstroll

Imagine my father was a judge and I could direct all my work in front of him.

The perception of bias is enough that McCauley should not ever be working Leaf games. I'm not suggesting he has done anything wrong ...but the perception is enough. Only in the NHL ...

That's your wounded heart talking ....mine hurts too ..but many of us also choose to use our brain.
- The Law

Wow. We watched different games last night.

Game 2.

Already a must win.
- Fakepartofme

It's not over until it's over.

Fascinating article in today's Washington Post:

How cable changed sports and what happens when fans cut the cord.

Here's the concluding paragraph:

The main worry for leagues and franchises is that they will never be able to replicate the reach and revenue of peak cable. In whatever model emerges, sports entities probably will have to collect more money from sports fans to account for the missing money from the non-sports fans that came from the cable bundle. And if teams want to maximize revenue, they will have to split their games among a number of services, including streaming outlets, which will make those games harder to find at a time when sports are desperate to reach younger audiences. To watch every Yankees game last year, for example, a fan in New York would have needed a cable subscription, plus subscriptions to three streaming services: Amazon Prime, Peacock and Apple TV Plus.

Do teams practice or have morning skates between home games? I can't remember

Fascinating article in today's Washington Post:

How cable changed sports and what happens when fans cut the cord.

Here's the concluding paragraph:

The main worry for leagues and franchises is that they will never be able to replicate the reach and revenue of peak cable. In whatever model emerges, sports entities probably will have to collect more money from sports fans to account for the missing money from the non-sports fans that came from the cable bundle. And if teams want to maximize revenue, they will have to split their games among a number of services, including streaming outlets, which will make those games harder to find at a time when sports are desperate to reach younger audiences. To watch every Yankees game last year, for example, a fan in New York would have needed a cable subscription, plus subscriptions to three streaming services: Amazon Prime, Peacock and Apple TV Plus.
- Atomic Wedgie

Very interesting.

I'd be more than happy to watch every NHL game through a streaming platform like the NFL with DAZN. I cut cable years ago and I'm streaming games online until such an offer exists.

So you think the reffing is bad for the Leafs, but not so much for their opponents?

What is your theory for that "uneven" reffing?
- Nasty_Duck

Not that I have to apologize, but sorry, I was hosting a meeting for an hour. Hard to slack at work when they're watching your screen.

An honest answer? I don't know. I think alot of the officiating against Edmonton that *I* see is just missed calls on McDavid (which is sometimes offset by too many calls in his favour, I'll grant) - but he is just so impossible to contain with today's defensive standards (no holding, no obstruction, no stick checks . . . I don't know how anyone stops anyone anymore legally to be honest) that he should almost draw a modern penalty every shift he has the puck. For all of that, he also flops and female doges a lot when things don't go his way. But still, Edmonton doesn't necessarily get the benefit of the doubt that often.

Here are two theories I have: 1. Game Management. Refs try to keep the game somewhat balanced. If you know you're going to be calling penalties on the opposition for some things (like upcoming holds on McDavid), you will scrutinize the team more closely. So it's plausible that Edmonton draws a number of penalties because they know McDavid will, likewise, draw a number of penalties. In the case of Toronto, I speculate that it could be 2. Overcompensation. The Leafs get a lot of press - there's no way around that, they just do. Most of the refs are Canadian, and many are from Ontario (out of the 44 NHL referees, 30% (13) are from Ontario, 14% from Quebec (6), and 11% from BC (5). You don't want any accusations of bias, you you overcompensate.

I don't have enough data to know - and the problem with any assertion regarding officiating is that everyone has a bias. What appears to be a missed call to me is going to be a valid play to someone else. It would be a massive undertaking to have people watch games and tally up missed calls, good calls, incorrect/bad calls by whom, against whom and to whom, when in the game, and yadda, yadda, yadda - which is why that data isn't available.

Anything any of us has is gut feel and speculation.

Point is their engine. A healthy Point and Tampa wins the cup last year.

If I could take one skater from that team, it would be him.

You nullify or take out Point and you kneecap their offense.

Fascinating article in today's Washington Post:

How cable changed sports and what happens when fans cut the cord.

Here's the concluding paragraph:

The main worry for leagues and franchises is that they will never be able to replicate the reach and revenue of peak cable. In whatever model emerges, sports entities probably will have to collect more money from sports fans to account for the missing money from the non-sports fans that came from the cable bundle. And if teams want to maximize revenue, they will have to split their games among a number of services, including streaming outlets, which will make those games harder to find at a time when sports are desperate to reach younger audiences. To watch every Yankees game last year, for example, a fan in New York would have needed a cable subscription, plus subscriptions to three streaming services: Amazon Prime, Peacock and Apple TV Plus.
- Atomic Wedgie

We reinvented cable, except it's worse now. Like a lot of things.

Wow. We watched different games last night.
- fifty__missions

I think we often do. I liked the play of 3 of our lines at 5v5 all night - we just didn't get to see enough of it. I guarantee Cooper is worried about RoR v. Point and Matthews v. Cirelli. Leafs carried most of that 5v5 time.

The 10-15 minutes of PK time we looked like poop ....I think that's impacting your view.

I think we often do. I liked the play of 3 of our lines at 5v5 all night - we just didn't get to see enough of it. I guarantee Cooper is worried about RoR v. Point and Matthews v. Cirelli. Leafs carried most of that 5v5 time.

The 10-15 minutes of PK time we looked like poop ....I think that's impacting your view.
- The Law

The entire team puked all over their own skates with nervousness and tightness to start the game. It never got much better. Braincramps galore. Puck watching. Don't know how you didn't see it. Marner was ineffectual 5v5 as he often is in the playoffs when the middle of the ice is taken away. Tampa entered our zone easy too easily.

Yes I think Cooper may be worried, but not from forward matchups - two of his top 3 D may be injured.

I think we often do. I liked the play of 3 of our lines at 5v5 all night - we just didn't get to see enough of it. I guarantee Cooper is worried about RoR v. Point and Matthews v. Cirelli. Leafs carried most of that 5v5 time.

The 10-15 minutes of PK time we looked like poop ....I think that's impacting your view.
- The Law

That's a problem though. Leafs go 50% on the PK they're doomed no matter what.

That being said I guess the Lightning were also 50% on their PK as well. Still, we know Leafs are going to get the most calls against by the end of the series so they need to clean that up.

Imagine my father was a judge and I could direct all my work in front of him.

The perception of bias is enough that McCauley should not ever be working Leaf games. I'm not suggesting he has done anything wrong ...but the perception is enough. Only in the NHL ...
- The Law

Too bad adjusting an innocent person’s life due to another’s guilt is against the law.

The NHL cannot have a modification in the agreement with the NHLOA that would be legal or that the NHLOA would even agree with, end of story.

The entire team puked all over their own skates with nervousness and tightness to start the game. It never got much better. Braincramps galore. Puck watching. Don't know how you didn't see it. Marner was ineffectual 5v5 as he often is in the playoffs when the middle of the ice is taken away. Tampa entered our zone easy too easily.

Yes I think Cooper may be worried, but not from forward matchups - two of his top 3 D may be injured.
- fifty__missions

Yeah, that's Tampa's biggest worry for sure.

The entire team puked all over their own skates with nervousness and tightness to start the game. It never got much better. Don't know how you didn't see it.

Yes I think Cooper may be worried, but not from forward matchups - two of his top 3 D may be injured.
- fifty__missions

I guess all the qualitative accounting that supports my view is wrong.

The nerves to start were poopty. No excuses ..can't happen. Especially from vets like Holl and Gio and Brodie. Marner and ZAR with key turnovers leading to goals in the first 10 minutes. The whole barn was pissed. Tampa didn't look that good ...Leafs were once again shooting themselves in the foot. Then the tough call late in the first on Brodie and the PP goal. Leafs deserved their fate. Down 3 ..(frank) them.

But credit due ...they came out flying in the second ...dominated 5v5 ...drew two legit PP's by outworking TB ...and scored on both. The barn was full of confidence.

Then the Kampf slashing call for slashing low on the stick. I still don't understand the rule ...is that a penalty or does it have to be up in the mitts? If so, then it's a BS call that followed another BS call against Schenn for crosschecking with his glove. TB gets the 4th then Bunting puts his idiot hat on and ends the game.

After that nothing was worth measuring.

That's a problem though. Leafs go 50% on the PK they're doomed no matter what.

That being said I guess the Lightning were also 50% on their PK as well. Still, we know Leafs are going to get the most calls against by the end of the series so they need to clean that up.
- UsernameUnknown

For sure ..I haven't said otherwise. Our PK'ers and Sammy have got to get their poop together. That was terrible. And TB's PP has been poop the last few months. No excuses.

- GreatGigInTheSky

Too bad Keefe wasn’t the coach in the first two games huh?

Not that I have to apologize, but sorry, I was hosting a meeting for an hour. Hard to slack at work when they're watching your screen.

An honest answer? I don't know. I think alot of the officiating against Edmonton that *I* see is just missed calls on McDavid (which is sometimes offset by too many calls in his favour, I'll grant) - but he is just so impossible to contain with today's defensive standards (no holding, no obstruction, no stick checks . . . I don't know how anyone stops anyone anymore legally to be honest) that he should almost draw a modern penalty every shift he has the puck. For all of that, he also flops and female doges a lot when things don't go his way. But still, Edmonton doesn't necessarily get the benefit of the doubt that often.

Here are two theories I have: 1. Game Management. Refs try to keep the game somewhat balanced. If you know you're going to be calling penalties on the opposition for some things (like upcoming holds on McDavid), you will scrutinize the team more closely. So it's plausible that Edmonton draws a number of penalties because they know McDavid will, likewise, draw a number of penalties. In the case of Toronto, I speculate that it could be 2. Overcompensation. The Leafs get a lot of press - there's no way around that, they just do. Most of the refs are Canadian, and many are from Ontario (out of the 44 NHL referees, 30% (13) are from Ontario, 14% from Quebec (6), and 11% from BC (5). You don't want any accusations of bias, you you overcompensate.

I don't have enough data to know - and the problem with any assertion regarding officiating is that everyone has a bias. What appears to be a missed call to me is going to be a valid play to someone else. It would be a massive undertaking to have people watch games and tally up missed calls, good calls, incorrect/bad calls by whom, against whom and to whom, when in the game, and yadda, yadda, yadda - which is why that data isn't available.

Anything any of us has is gut feel and speculation.
- Monkeypunk

My problem with it is that is is/was predictable and it happened.

Did you see the Down Goes Brown tweet after the Leafs made is 3-2?

Too bad adjusting an innocent person’s life due to another’s guilt is against the law.

The NHL cannot have a modification in the agreement with the NHLOA that would be legal or that the NHLOA would even agree with, end of story.
- Dozzer

That is 100% not true. Conflict of interest is real; if the conflict of interest affects someone's ability to work or receive equitable opportunity then their union can issue formal objections and even sue - if the conflict of interest is something they feel is insufficient. But there are 30 teams in the league - providing equitable opportunities that keep him from officiating 82 games in a season wouldn't be difficult.

The only potential impact to MacCauley would be if the Leafs made the Cup Finals - and we all know that's not happening.

The union can't give carte blanche rights to anyone.

For sure ..I haven't said otherwise. Our PK'ers and Sammy have got to get their poop together. That was terrible. And TB's PP has been poop the last few months. No excuses.
- The Law

They let the 4th best PP scorer in the NHL have free reign all night. What can you expect? He's probably the second best because the only three ahead of him are all on the same historically great PP.

Now obviously i know your shoes had nothing to do with the outcome, i was only kidding.
But, just for amusement sake, have you worn them for previous playoff games?
- Fakepartofme

I actually have - and they have won most if not all of the games I've worn them for, but not last night obviously.