I would disagree that it is "thuggish players" that are cheating. I do feel, however, that in the last 2 OT games I watched this year, all players were getting away with some real, lousy hits.

My question is: can anybody remember the last time you saw a penalty in playoff OT? I can't remember. I realize that the refs are trying to let the players decide the game but come on, some of those hits in the OTT/TOR game were pretty questionable.

As a ref, are you the goat who called a penalty and let a team win, or are you the goat who didn't call a penalty and let the other team win?

The Stars had a powerplay in OT against the Ducks last year. I believe it was that (stupid) highstick rule.

Define 'marginal'. I've been watching games all week and, if the game is tied, as soon as the last 5 minutes of the third rolls around you can get away with murder from there on out.

I hate the theory that says refs should call the game any differently based on what the situation is. If it is a penalty in the 2nd peroid of a 5-0 game it should be a penalty in double-OT of a game 7.

2 nights ago, Canucks vs Flames. A Canuck grabbed onto a Flame so tightly by the jersey that we actually witnessed the "guys feet skating madly but body not moving at all" image. That was what it took to get a penalty in OT, an offense so blatant a six-year old wouldn't miss it.

Doesn't seem too "thuggish" which is what I was diagreeing with in the first place. According to the same post, I tend to agree with you.

I can't wait to watch the Nucks/Flames game.It should be awesome.Although i am worried for the Flames because they are not at home.

Not having Gauthier this game will hurt the Flames D for sure.Any word on who is replacing him?

Looks like Sundin is'nt going to play for the Leafs tommorrow which means his foot/ankle is either broken or he tore ligaments.Those are the only 2 ways i could see him missing a game 7.

I don't agree with you, but I certainly see your point.

Thuggish may have been the wrong term. I just prefer refs to keep whistling, it stops all the clutching and grabbing.

Yep.

Steve Montador

He's been our 7th-D all year and filled in admirably when called upon. But jumping into Game 7 for his first playoff action?

If I had seen calls throughout the season and into the playoffs that showed me the NHL was serious about removing hooking, holding and interference, I'd have no problem with referees calling penalties late in the third or OT. But since they don't do that, now is not the time to start.

Lydman is out as well, it's not like they have that many options.

Nice game in the opening minutes. Bruins especially are flying so far tonight. Looks like we'll have a good game on our hands.

Man do I love the NHL playoffs. They remind me that I love hockey, and that I should watch it more often.

I think Habs/Bruins has a feel of possibly ending up in OT.

Pretty early to call that...right now it looks to me like Boston's got pretty solid control right now.

I am a risk-taker ;)

Holy crap!

Not much of a challenge to say a game will go into OT when it's tied with 2 minutes left ;)

SI

Any (non-Canadiens fans) feel there have been 3-4 hits that could have easily been called hitting from behind/charging on the Bruins? Refs are really letting them play. I love it.

Well I retract my statement about Boston looking like they're in control. Some of the Canadiens are ridiculously quick.

Go go Montreal!!!!

B's choke. again.

Game 1 was the best game I think I've ever seen them play. what a waste.

I don't know who said this, but that was terrible reffing. They let Montreal get away with way too much in the 2nd/beginning of the 3rd. Especially when Gonchar was blatantly tripped up and they called a penalty on the B's 15 seconds later.

Congratulations to Montreal.

Once again...Flames/Nucks in a HUGE battle.

Great fast paced game.

Kipper is playing out of his head....as is Iginla...talk about a big game player.

btw....3 Canadian teams go through to the next round :)

wow...penalty to Flames with 1:48....this is gonna be exciting

Go Flames Go! :)

WOW!... tie game with 5 seconds left!

Even though it didn't affect the shot, I hate seeing debris being thrown onto the ice while the game is still going on. :(

Did that guy on Calgary just fall or did he trip over something thrown on the ice?

dumb, dumb penalty to jovanoski....ref let the 1st 2 cross checks go....but they tied it...cant beleive it...I think the Flames will score before the jovo penalty is over....

I think the Vancouver guy grabbed Iginla's stick out of his hands, and Iginla tripped over that.

Ya...my first thought when the debry was thrown was why they didnt blow the play dead...because the debry was in the general vacinity of the puck....

This has been the best playoff series I've seen in years!

I didn't see anything get thrown onto the ice. I guess I just missed it. Great goal by Cooke, and excellent work by Naslund to set it up. I'm not sure what Iginla was doing when he tripped over his stick, but I don't think it affected the play. If he wanted to block Naslund's dump toward the net, he could've just gone down. If he lays his body across the ice, Cooke doesn't score and the Flames are celebrating right now. It's certainly not his fault that the Canucks scored, but Vancouver did a great job of capitalizing on the opportunity that it had.

I really need to sleep, but I'm going to watch this thing through to the end, methinks.

I gotta agree with Engblum with that nonchalant "fans throwing stuff on the ice, not very smart".


If Jovo had half a brain there, he never would have gotten called. They let go his first hit but then his second hit was the one that got the penalty.

I really could care less who wins as I have one friend who likes each team and have no allegiance whatever to either (tho I do have an old black downward skate jersey from the Bure days in Vancouver). But I gotta say that penalty to give Vancouver the power play seemed contrived to me.

SI

Ohh... excellent point by Ron MacLean. As the ref went down to pick up the debris, he missed the stick being hit out of Iginla's hands... I never noticed that the ref wasn't looking.

I'm trying to think back and nothing's coming to mind for a single series. We've certainly had better playoff years, but this one is just getting started so it has time :D

The real shame is that only a couple of these games have been on TV in favor of stuff like the Flyers-Devils and Avs-Stars massacres. Then again, if I were a tv exec, those series looked better on paper before the series. You just never know sometimes.

SI

They've all been on TV here :D

Thats exactly why the play should have been blown dead....

NHL Center Ice, baby! I've had access to practically every game from the first round of the playoffs on my cable television. Who's doing the commentary for ESPN tonight? I'm watching CBC's broadcast. The only ESPN guys I really like are Gary Thorne (though Bill Clement annoys me) and Steve Levy. Are either of them working tonight's game from Vancouver?

I think most Leaf fans would agree that the Toronto/Detroit series from the 92/93 season was better then this...and I also think the Calgary/Vancouver series from the 93/94 year when Bure won it in OT was better......though this one has been exciting

I kinda want Calgary to lose because i think Col/Det and SJ/Vancouver are better matchups than Det/Cal and SJ/Col.

My heart still wants Calgary to win though....that and my wife is from Cagary :)

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I can't help it that my stupid country likes things like the NBA more than the quest for the cup.

And poker championships, and trick shot billiards, and reality tv garbage, and... so, aside from the colder weather, anything bad about Canada? Do you have a prime minister who couldn't make it through your public education system? Do you actually have nationalized health care instead of letting idiot lobbyists decide that the rich and drug companies are the only who can benefit? And, most importantly, do you have have hockey on tv every night?

SI

Well, THAT didn't last long.

Flames win!

So, uh, who WAS doing the play-by-play for ESPN?

Jordan Leopold has been the best D-man i've seen in this series.Kid is solid

I think the Calgary/Detroit series is gonna be really good....Im looking forward to those games.....Now onto the improtant game


GO LEAFS GO

Damn!! Walk away from the TV for TWO seconds and miss the goal!!