[PGT] Calgary plays Game 2 and loses by a score of 3-2 in regulation

[Benched]

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I agree but the NHL is the premier hockey league of the world. Other professional leagues do invest a lot into educating and critiquing their officials. The NFL fires officials almost annually based on their performance. When's the last time the NHL fired officials? It just feels like CFL level officiating where you can alter the outcome of games and never be disciplined for it. The officials handling the playoffs are supposed to be the officials the league has determined as their best. That's pretty scary if you have watched all the series.

The NHL does educate its officials. But it draws from a pool of officials from lower leagues, and that pool isn't anything close to as large as the NFL. Hockey as a sport has a real problem attracting and keeping officials. The fact they have to be quite good athletes themselves immediately makes many of the kinds of educated spectators who ref other sports (like football) ineligible. Add to that the very high burnout rate among young refs in junior and minor hockey because of abuse from fans and coaches, and it's a real problem.

[PeteMoss]

The challenge thing - a lot of it could be fixed by just saying what the call on the ice is before you start talking/reviewing anyone. If his initial call was goalie interference then say it and go from there.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The NHL does educate its officials. But its draws from a pool of officials from lower leagues, and that pool isn't anything close to as large as the NFL. Hockey as a sport has a real problem attracting and keeping officials. The fact they have to be quite good athletes themselves immediately makes many of the kinds of educated spectators who ref other sports (like football) ineligible. Add to that the very high burnout rate among young refs in junior and minor hockey because of abuse from fans and coaches, and it's a real problem.

The culture of abuse towards officials in the NHL is probably my least favourite aspect of the sport.

Coming from baseball and rugby, the idea that you could somehow tell a ref to #### off and have it not IMMEDIATELY mean consequences for you and your team is crazy to me.

The idea you can actually petition the ref for leniency or fairness is a foundational attack on the legitimacy and integrity of the game itself.

Basically, to be a fan of NHL hockey you have to be accepting that games are not a black and white winner and loser but instead a managed piece of theatre.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The culture of abuse towards officials in the NHL is probably my least favourite aspect of the sport.

Coming from baseball and rugby, the idea that you could somehow tell a ref to #### off and have it not IMMEDIATELY mean consequences for you and your team is crazy to me.

The idea you can actually petition the ref for leniency or fairness is a foundational attack on the legitimacy and integrity of the game itself.

Basically, to be a fan of NHL hockey you have to be accepting that games are not a black and white winner and loser but instead a managed piece of theatre.

Which is exactly how NHL owners and GM's want it.

[sixpacked]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The culture of abuse towards officials in the NHL is probably my least favourite aspect of the sport.

Coming from baseball and rugby, the idea that you could somehow tell a ref to #### off and have it not IMMEDIATELY mean consequences for you and your team is crazy to me.

The idea you can actually petition the ref for leniency or fairness is a foundational attack on the legitimacy and integrity of the game itself.

Basically, to be a fan of NHL hockey you have to be accepting that games are not a black and white winner and loser but instead a managed piece of theatre.

While I agree with most of your post, when have you seen a ref change their mind/lower/dismiss a penalty call, or another call on the ice due to a player lobbying??? Yes there are corrections to a missed call, say puck over boards that hit boards instead of straight out.

[Erick Estrada]

Good article today at TSN documenting the Flames lack of discipline;

http://www.tsn.ca/talent/a-lack-of-d...lgary-1.726445

I thought this comment was interesting;

I have seen some interesting theories kicked around as to what kind of detrimental impact the Dennis Wideman incident has had on Calgary – there are pretty compelling arguments that officiating has, to some degree anyway, been more aggressive in whistling the Flames for infractions.

This guy isn't a Flames fan and doesn't have a horse in this race so I don't believe you can fault Flames fans for feeling the Flames have not always received a fair shake. That said I believe this team isn't as disciplined as it could be so maybe (hopefully) if the team can clean up it's act things will start to balance back to pre-wiseman incident days.

[IliketoPuck]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Good article today at TSN documenting the Flames lack of discipline;

http://www.tsn.ca/talent/a-lack-of-d...lgary-1.726445

I thought this comment was interesting;



This guy isn't a Flames fan and doesn't have a horse in this race so I don't believe you can fault Flames fans for feeling the Flames have not always received a fair shake. That said I believe this team isn't as disciplined as it could be so maybe (hopefully) if the team can clean up it's act things will start to balance back to pre-wiseman incident days.

That stats by lopez article is pretty interesting too.

[Drak]

Wrong thread,