[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It's not that it wasn't a penalty, it's that games are called a particular way - rightly or wrongly - and then that call was incongruous and inappropriate, based on how they are called.

First, there are probably 15-20 callable infractions in any given game, but only a portion of them are called. And it isn't that the ones called are the most egregious (if that were the case, then fine), it's that the ones called are called because the refs feel that it's time to call that team for a penalty. In other words, the refs don't make calls based on the severity of the infraction, they make calls based on what they feel is appropriate for the game - how many have been called on each team already, what's the score, etc. In other words: game management.

Second - within the context of how refs DO call a game - that was a situation where they would almost certainly NOT call a penalty. 1) it was late in the 3rd period of a tie game (where they typically 'let the players decide it'), 2) they had just given the Jets a 5 on 3 powerplay moments earlier, 3) it was 175' from the Flames net and it didn't cause a scoring chance or even a turnover - in other words, it had no impact on the play, and 4) they had recently NOT called a couple pretty clear infractions the other way. In other words, the refs' 'internal game score' should have read that no penalty be called.

But they called it anyway.

It wasn't a terrible call because it wasn't a penalty (by the book, it was an infraction). It was a terrible call because, based on the way the refs call a game, they never call that. And it decided the game. And frankly, ruined a good game.

I like it when people take the time to articulate exactly what I’m thinking.