Maple Leafs 3 v. Panthers 1: Eye For An Eye

The Panthers fan is not pleased.

Grabovski.

So we get bad refereeing at the islanders game and the refereeing goes out way today. Skate hit Giguere on Floridas goal and Orr streamrolls Clemmenson. Regardless of how obvious the mistake it still evens out.

Is a boner machine.

I love how Giguere just blatently tripped that Panther after getting run near the end of the game. Not very disiplined, but I guess he knew the refs had swallowed their whistles.

Schenn was laying down some hard hits, played a beautifully physical game.

No complaints for Lebda. He had a quiet game, which is something of a step forward.

I didn’t miss Armstrong as much as I thought I would. I know people rag on him a lot around here, but I think he does an okay job (if you ignore his salary.)

Shoestorm is an unsung hero.

Take a look at the pic at the top of this post. Without knowing about the game or the play, if I told you that on this play the shot came in, bounced off of Orr’s foot and resulted in a Leafs’ goal, and the game-winning goal at that, would you believe me? I bet not. This makes it priceless.

As a Lennon fan I have to ask. Are you saying that the fact that Colton Orr has two goals in 8 games is proof that there is no God, or simply that a just and loving God would never allow Grabovsky, Kulemin and Versteeg to suffer such humiliation?

j/k

Orr has been working his ass off this season and deserves to be rewarded. He may not possess the same skills as a Chris Neil (commence flaming in 4, 3, 2, ….), but he is looking less one-dimensional lately.

Above all else, this was a terribly officiated game. Not just because of the goaltender interference non-call*s*, but several tripping, holding, and slashing calls that probably should have at least earned players a warning. When the commentator has to say “oh, that’s definitely a make up call,” ref, you’re doing a bad job (though Chemmy pointed out that the Kessel penalty was actually also its own independent penalty).

But to say that any one play is “more interference” than the other is ridiculous. According to the rule book, both Stillman and Orr broke the following rule:

69.1 Interference on the Goalkeeper – This rule is based on the premise that an attacking player’s position, whether inside or outside the crease, should not, by itself, determine whether a goal should be allowed or disallowed. In other words, goals scored while attacking players are standing in the crease may, in appropriate circumstances be allowed. Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease.

From that, it seems ridiculous to say that exclusively the Orr goal was the tide-turner in the 1-1 game. It’s clear that Stillman’s foot pulled Giguere’s weight-bearing edge out from under him, preventing lateral movement, “impairing the goalkeeper’s abillity to move freely within his crease,” and had the result of depriving Giguere of a legitimate chance at making a save. (Giguere defaults to the goal line, is off angle, and is way too deep to make a real save, regardless of the fact that he isn’t kissing the ice like Clemmenson.)

In both cases, a penalty could have been called, and from that moment, the play is supposed to be considered dead (well, as soon as the offending team has possession, which in both cases was immediate). The refs aren’t supposed to wait for a goal to happen, so to say that one penalty is less integral to the outcome shouldn’t even be discussed – there shouldn’t be an outcome to those plays. (I had a good discussion with Mirtle on the subject, but if this Wellwood-sized rant isn’t a clue, I wasn’t thrilled with the 140 character setup).

So to say “well, if Orr got called for the penalty” and then continue on for “and Stillman didn’t get called for the same penalty, applied equally incorrectly” you’re selectively applying the rules even in your own theoretical scenario. It becomes a loaded question. It’s effectively saying “well, the game wasn’t called well, but if it wasn’t called well against just the Leafs, they wouldn’t have won!” Well, no shit.

ALL THIS ignores that Kessel’s goal was the product of hard work much more than it was the product of a playstyle change in the Florida Panthers. They were still playing the trap after the Orr goal, and they still had three players near the offensive blueline when they were in the Leafs zone prior to the Kessel goal (umbrella formation). Kessel beats two players with some beautiful wheels. I don’t think Orr’s cheat goal made the Panthers any slower, but I expect the Sun will run with that headline tomorrow. So take away Orr’s goal, ignore Stillman’s interference, and Kessel still has a legitimate game winner.

I think there is a story line in here, though – yet again we’re looking at the lack of accountability among referees in the NHL (which can be expanded to pro sports in general). Orr was interviewed, Clemmenson was interviewed, but Francis Charron, Stephen Walkom, Steve Barton, and Pierre Champoux will continue on to ref another game – I only hope with a better quality of workmanship. I understand that the league had some good refs retire recently, shouldn’t that be considered if we’re to talk about expanding the responsibility of referees in this league? (This also came up during Versteeg’s incorrectly disallowed high sticking goal against the Islanders, which was unreviewable.)

I digress. The Leafs won, and that’s boring. Let’s build a scenario in which they could have lost.

1. Luke Schenn continues to make a mockery of last year’s handwringing with almost 23 minutes of ice-time, three blocked shots, five hits, and one handsome face.

Off topic, but what is with all the Samsung?
Also, is that Eli Manning holding the football on the TV to the left?
F**K ELI MANNING

Anyone read berger’s latest? It is the saddest thing he has ever put forth. What a bitter hack

I realize now I blamed Beauch for blowing a great pressure situation in the Panthers end in the 1st that led to a dangerous counterattack, when actually it was Stillman with a great pass interception that lead to the attempt.

APOLOGIES HAPPY TRAILS

In the lack of love for Komisarek. Played his best game of the year, 7 hits 4 blocked shots.

That third goal for the Leafs is full of fail by Scott Clemmensen. Wow. That’s some bad goaltending.

Well things are even now, this makes up for the versteeg “no goal” against the Islanders.

Sorry Florida. Continue enjoying Brian Mccabe hockey.

We kinda got away with one last night. With Kessel’s icer it may not have mattered, but yeah. Colton Orr definitely interfered.

The Giguere interference is a much weaker example and a bit more ticky-tack, so I can see why some panthers fans would be ticked at the “Well, both weren’t called”

Is it me, or has reffing been much shakier at the start of this season than say last year?

Still… I can’t complain too much, but as an old fan of the Beezer I don’t have any grudge against the Panthers – just happy to see the Buds get 2 pts.

From the panthers SBN blog

The Leafs got an impressive insurance marker from Phil Kessel at 17:36, but c’mon…

Yea… c’mon. Its not like the Leafs would have won anyways….

The whole goddamn crowd standing at the end of a 3-1 win.
Over the Panthers.
In October.
On a Tuesday.

Love it.

Friedman said yesterday that Wilson was unhappy with Kessel and Versteeg’s shift lengths. Last night Kessel average 59s a shift, Bozak 58s, and Versteeg 53s. That’s 3s over Kessel’s average up until this points, 3s over Bozak’s, and 3s less for Versteeg.

Still way high compared to league average for similar players.

This is why goals suck. It makes people fight. It causes me to have issues with my homework. The Leafs win and people get all angry and bent out of shape.

Stupid goals being scored.