ort
Registered User
- Mar 6, 2012
- 1,054
- 1,110
Watch the replay of the incident. Mikola didn't do crap to rile Crosby up. They were both going at it. Niko gave Crosby a little cross check, the kind you see 100 times in every single game. Crosby gave him a shot back a little harder, Niko gave him a shot back... a little harder, then they started really giving it to each other. If anything Crosby started the escalation. The idea that Mikola was the aggressor or did anything worse than Crosby did is ridiculous. They were both involved and both committed equal infractions. Crosby just ended up with a cut nose.
Two things in this game were complete and total rubbish.
1: The call on Krug during the 4 on 4 following the Crosby/Mikola cross check fest. This is a weak call. This is NOT an NHL penalty. This should never have been called. It was 100% a makeup call and the only reason was that the refs saw a bloodied Crosby and decided they couldn't have that and had to give them some sort of gift. It was ridiculous call. A free 4 on 3 on a silver platter based on a complete and total non-event that isn't even a penalty. Krug pushed over a player with the puck in the crease. You see this happen a dozen times every single game with no call. It was not a penalty. The timing of it was so beneficial to the Pens and the momentum of the game. It was a game changing moment and it was a total gift. It was the league giving special treatment to one of its premiere players. Simple as that. If some random 4th liner got a bloody nose, that call does not get made. If Mikola was the one who ended up being cut, he would not have gotten that makeup call. Crosby got the call because he's Crosby. FULL STOP.
2: What is goaltender interference? Can anyone on the planet answer that question? It's a complete and total mystery. How can anyone make an informed decision on whether to challenge or not when the outcome of every review feels completely and totally random? I've seen interference that was so much more minor, OUTSIDE OF THE PAINT, end up in goals being called off. I've seen goalies get absolutely manhandled and have it called not interference. It's completely arbitrary and seemingly based on nothing. The idea that the entire coaching staff and video team for the Blues felt comfortable having that be looked at, and not having any idea if it would get turned over tells you everything. How can you ever make that call? The rule of having a penalty called against your team is just ridiculous, I know those are the rules and they knew the rules... I get that. But the rule is stupid and bad. It's a bad rule. Especially when goaltender interference is so random that literally no one has any idea what it even is.
I hate being the guy that sits around bitching about the refs. It's such a bad look and whatever, we just have to move on. But this game was ridiculous and we have the right to feel salty about it. It was a total screw job.
Two things in this game were complete and total rubbish.
1: The call on Krug during the 4 on 4 following the Crosby/Mikola cross check fest. This is a weak call. This is NOT an NHL penalty. This should never have been called. It was 100% a makeup call and the only reason was that the refs saw a bloodied Crosby and decided they couldn't have that and had to give them some sort of gift. It was ridiculous call. A free 4 on 3 on a silver platter based on a complete and total non-event that isn't even a penalty. Krug pushed over a player with the puck in the crease. You see this happen a dozen times every single game with no call. It was not a penalty. The timing of it was so beneficial to the Pens and the momentum of the game. It was a game changing moment and it was a total gift. It was the league giving special treatment to one of its premiere players. Simple as that. If some random 4th liner got a bloody nose, that call does not get made. If Mikola was the one who ended up being cut, he would not have gotten that makeup call. Crosby got the call because he's Crosby. FULL STOP.
2: What is goaltender interference? Can anyone on the planet answer that question? It's a complete and total mystery. How can anyone make an informed decision on whether to challenge or not when the outcome of every review feels completely and totally random? I've seen interference that was so much more minor, OUTSIDE OF THE PAINT, end up in goals being called off. I've seen goalies get absolutely manhandled and have it called not interference. It's completely arbitrary and seemingly based on nothing. The idea that the entire coaching staff and video team for the Blues felt comfortable having that be looked at, and not having any idea if it would get turned over tells you everything. How can you ever make that call? The rule of having a penalty called against your team is just ridiculous, I know those are the rules and they knew the rules... I get that. But the rule is stupid and bad. It's a bad rule. Especially when goaltender interference is so random that literally no one has any idea what it even is.
I hate being the guy that sits around bitching about the refs. It's such a bad look and whatever, we just have to move on. But this game was ridiculous and we have the right to feel salty about it. It was a total screw job.
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