OT: And we thought A-10 refs were bad

[Soderball]

That was absolutely absurd. There isnt any defending it. Anything other than the giant native head on the jersey would have lost that game. That one got called in from the league office, i have little confidence the blues will win the series after that. What a disaster. If the blues had shoved the puck up crawfords a#!\$_#,= and threw him into the goal that would be a legitimate goal under that ruling. What a shame. First the nfl, now the nhl.

When does it end?

[billslasttermdropout]

Nope. "A player is off-side when both skates are completely over the leading edge of the blue line involved in the play."

You concede that it's on the line. Unless you're somehow claiming that the side of the line towards his own goal is the leading edge, that was an improper call.

And in any event, overturning requires irrefutable visual evidence. If they saw that photo above or anything close to it, the evidence was at best ambiguous and the on-ice call should have stood.

I'm going to stand corrected upon still further review. According to a strict reading of Rule 83 posted above, the player was neither off-side, or on-side, but rather in the twilight zone, for which the penalty is an eternity in limbo or some approximation thereof.

I only read the on-side definition previously. So, if he's not off-side you can't call the penalty. But if he's not onside he therefore must be off-side. There's not enough redundancy built into this rule. But with this now established precedent....

[slufan13]

Forgot the mention that the goal the Blackhawks scored at the end of the 2nd period wouldn't have happened if they hadn't blown the icing call.

[Soderball]

Forgot the mention that the goal the Blackhawks scored at the end of the 2nd period wouldn't have happened if they hadn't blown the icing call.

The amount of bull;#*! In that game is beyond measure. The Blues are the better team, but we saw what happened. Get your bets in quick.

[slufanskip]

Does anyone know how the playoff alignment works? Why are we even playing Chicago?

[billslasttermdropout]

In the following article, Adam Gretz writes for CBS about the off side call and rule:

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25556774/the-nhls-offside-rule-is-stupid-and-needs-some-changes

There were five other goals over just the past month-and-a-half alone that were disallowed under similar circumstances where a player's skate was behind the line, but barely off the ice.

There's also a video stopped right after the puck crosses the leading edge of the line completely that I've blown up for you here:

And finally, former senior NHL senior referee and TSN analyst Kerry Fraser on the off side rule:

http://www2.tsn.ca/blogs/kerry_fraser/?id=387914

...I'm talking hair-splitting precision here and these zebras are almost always right....I hope this clears the offside situation up for you, Rich. As long as you have maintained one skate in contact with the blue line for all those 50+ years of play when the puck crossed the inside/leading edge you were onside....

I agree the Blues are the better team. Now they just need to show me that they are a lot better and stomp some madhouse A55! Somebody find me a beer! Is 20+ hours too early to start? I'm thinkin' a Morgan Street Black Bear sounds great right now.

[billikens747]

Does anyone know how the playoff alignment works? Why are we even playing Chicago?

8 teams make it to the playoffs from each conference. There are 2 divisions per conference.

The top 3 teams from each division automatically qualify and are seeded 1-3. The 4th seeds are the next two best records in each conference.

For the central, the final regular season standings were - Dallas, Blues, Blackhawks, in that order. The Wild became the 4th seed with the next best record.

1 vs 4 seed. 2 vs 3 seed.

[Clock_Tower]

In the following article, Adam Gretz writes for CBS about the off side call and rule:

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25556774/the-nhls-offside-rule-is-stupid-and-needs-some-changes

There's also a video stopped right after the puck crosses the leading edge of the line completely that I've blown up for you here:

And finally, former senior NHL senior referee and TSN analyst Kerry Fraser on the off side rule:

http://www2.tsn.ca/blogs/kerry_fraser/?id=387914

I agree the Blues are the better team. Now they just need to show me that they are a lot better and stomp some madhouse A55! Somebody find me a beer! Is 20+ hours too early to start? I'm thinkin' a Morgan Street Black Bear sounds great right now.

Thanks for the Kerry Fraizer article. Enjoyed it.

As to your photo, believe it makes the point that Toronto made a bad call. I dont see the puck in the photo. Skates can be in the air and in the zone if the puck has already crossed. I am still looking for a photo of the puck not across and his skates inside. Such a photo would be thre conclusive proof needed to overrule. Until then, the call on the ice should stand. Goal Blues.

[almaman]

no Canadian team in playoffs

[brianstl]

The whole problem with the goal be overturned is that it took over 5 minutes to make the ruling. Video is only supposed to change clear mistakes. How can it be a clear mistake when it takes that much time and a zapruder like dissection of the video to attempt to make the case he was offsides?

[Clock_Tower]

Blues Game 3. The refs continued to try and ensure the defending Stanley Cup Champs not lose in Round 1. Less than 2 minutes into the game, a double penalty on the Blues for roughing after routine scuffle in front of net escalates. Power play goal by Toronto's favorites. 1 minute later, a questionable hooking call which prompted the national announcer to question the ticky tack nature of the call saying a call like in the first 5 minutes needs to be a penalty in the last 5 minutes as well. Then a bad break penalty by Bouwmeester touching the puck before his skates hit the ice coming out of the penalty box.

No worries. Mental toughness by the Blues and possibly some heavenly intervention by Majerus keeping the puck out of the net after hitting both posts and the Blues pull off a huge, and much needed, win.

Teams take on the character of their coach. Mental toughness wins games on the road and when faced with adversity. Here's hoping that T Ford gets us mentally tough again like the Blues.

[Soderball]

Blues Game 3. The refs continued to try and ensure the defending Stanley Cup Champs not lose in Round 1. Less than 2 minutes into the game, a double penalty on the Blues for roughing after routine scuffle in front of net escalates. Power play goal by Toronto's favorites. 1 minute later, a questionable hooking call which prompted the national announcer to question the ticky tack nature of the call saying a call like in the first 5 minutes needs to be a penalty in the last 5 minutes as well. Then a bad break penalty by Bouwmeester touching the puck before his skates hit the ice coming out of the penalty box.

No worries. Mental toughness by the Blues and possibly some heavenly intervention by Majerus keeping the puck out of the net after hitting both posts and the Blues pull off a huge, and much needed, win.

Teams take on the character of their coach. Mental toughness wins games on the road and when faced with adversity. Here's hoping that T Ford gets us mentally tough again like the Blues.

Series is excruciating with this chicago love from the league. Thought they were done after the second period. What a comeback.

Ford is going to make us an a10 contender again. Champs? Im not as sold on. I believe Ford is the right hire.

[Cowboy]

-if they had a pro-Chicago strategy I'm not sure the NHL is smart enough to be able to execute it, the officiating is just not good and I believe it impacts the league's popularity

[billikens747]

Absolutely criminal power play call for the Hawks after Crawford instigates a fight.

[slufan13]

Shaw calls the ref a "f.ucking f.aggot". Even the NBA has suspended players for that. His season should be over.

[Cowboy]

Shaw calls the ref a "f.ucking f.aggot". Even the NBA has suspended players for that. His season should be over.

-should be but won't be, the double give of the fingers and he was not ejected, unreal

[Clock_Tower]

-should be but won't be, the double give of the fingers and he was not ejected, unreal

Agreed. Refs can give a player a 10 minute personal misconduct tossing a player without punishing his team or giving the other team a power play. This would have been an easy call. Send Shaw to the dressing room and have a teammate serve his 2 minute penalty. Not sure of NHL specific rules but I would think the league can and should step in now and give Shaw a fine and ban him for a few games for his poor conduct with toward the refs.

[milwaukeebill]

-should be but won't be, the double give of the fingers and he was not ejected, unreal

The NHL really tries to paint themselves as the leader on LGBT issues in professional sports. We'll see if they actually walk the walk.

[Cowboy]

The NHL really tries to paint themselves as the leader on LGBT issues in professional sports. We'll see if they actually walk the walk.

-I heard this morning on the radio that Shaw is contending he doesn't remember what he said, some might call that very convenient

[Pistol]

The NHL really tries to paint themselves as the leader on LGBT issues in professional sports. We'll see if they actually walk the walk.

Does it really? I know the NBA has, but this is news to me.

[TheChosenOne]

Does it really? I know the NBA has, but this is news to me.

The behavior of NHL players on the ice is an embarrassment, I guess that is considered part of the game? I never played hockey, so maybe I just don't get it. It is surprising that the players are essentially allowed to yell profanities at opponents and officials, call them derogatory things, talk endless trash, flick an official off, attack each other, etc. without retribution and I struggle to understand how that can be considered part of the game. It is just strange to watch a sport where the players are allowed to completely lose control of their emotions and be embraced for it by their teammates and fans. Maybe I am being soft, but I don't get it.

[BigMouthBilliken]

The behavior of NHL players on the ice is a complete embarrassment, I guess that is considered part of the game? I never played hockey, so maybe I just don't get it. It is shocking that the players are essentially allowed to yell profanities at opponents and officials, call them derogatory things, talk endless trash, flick an official off, attack each other, etc. without serious retribution. It is just strange to watch a sport where the players are allowed to completely lose control of their emotions and be embraced for it by their teammates and fans.

Yes because this never happens in football.....

[TheChosenOne]

Yes because this never happens in football.....

Are NFL players and coaches allowed to yell that stuff at officials? I was trying to figure out a comparison and overlooked football which is the obvious one now that I think about it. Most of that certainly applies to football (fairly regular scuffles, endless trash talk, etc.). I guess the only difference is that in football you wouldn't have a situation where you could easily read a player's lips as he yells at an official or opponent. And in the NFL, they can get away with almost anything off of the field as well as long as you can play.

[Pistol]

The behavior of NHL players on the ice is a complete embarrassment, I guess that is considered part of the game? I never played hockey, so maybe I just don't get it. It is shocking that the players are essentially allowed to yell profanities at opponents and officials, call them derogatory things, talk endless trash, flick an official off, attack each other, etc. without serious retribution. It is just strange to watch a sport where the players are allowed to completely lose control of their emotions and be embraced for it by their teammates and fans.

It is weird, if you step back and consider it relative to other sports. The stuff that is routine in hockey and doesn't get penalized often is the same stuff that gets you ejected, fined, and/or suspended in literally every other sport. It's crazy. I never really thought of it until my wife has watched games with me and asks questions about things she doesn't understand (she grew up here in Cincy, where hockey just isn't part of the culture).

It's the stuff after the whistle that really is nuts. 10 guys shoving each other with refs in the middle getting the collateral damage, and sometimes they just head to the next faceoff without even a 2-minute minor for anyone.

This Blackhawks team, by the way, has to be the least likeable team of all time. They're infuriating to watch.

[Pistol]

I'd still be surprised if the league came down on Shaw, though, based on the treatment the Blackhawks have been getting from the officials and the league. I mean, if they're willing to go to this extent to defend a Hawks player who very well may have raped someone, are they going to conjure up moral outrage when another Hawks player acts like a horrible person? Different scenarios, I know, but it would be consistent with the league's attitude toward its current golden boys.