Eastern Conference Playoffs - Round 2: Habs vs Lightning (Bolts win 4-2)

[codynw]

Was Prust always this much of a ######? I always remembered liking him, but maybe I just ignored his crap because he played for the Flames?

[blender]

I don't know.
Prust is acting the fool, but the refs need to be dispassionate out there. They are doing a piss-poor job across the board in these playoffs in my opinion, and as such need to have a cup of shut the hell up out there and focus on doing a better job (I don't mean this game in particular, but all games generally).
I don't think its at all cool for a ref to lose his temper with a player. He's got all the power and needs to remain cold and emotionless.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Yah, I think Prust needs to watch his Schtick as it's getting old, and I was all ready to jump all over him when I heard he made comments. But after viewing that replay, and of course without being down on the ice you never know for sure, but it sure looked like the ref engaged and baited Prust into that extra penalty there, basically taunted him until he finally got him to do the slightest thing to make a call. If that's the case, Watson shouldn't ref another game I these playoffs, he can't be doing that.

[Philly06Cup]

NHL refs need more accountability, and its a good thing that Prust made his comments public.

Am I really in for minority for saying that?

[Magnum PEI]

Edit: Nevermind. Unsportsmanlike was in the the first period.

[habernac]

Prust is an idiot. He started the decline in this game taking his stupid double minor. Subban took another bad penalty right after and the powerplay goal parade began. Habs were winning all of the faceoffs, were carrying the play until that point. Stupid undisciplined crap.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by habernac

Prust is an idiot. He started the decline in this game taking his stupid double minor. Subban took another bad penalty right after and the powerplay goal parade began. Habs were winning all of the faceoffs, were carrying the play until that point. Stupid undisciplined crap.

Agreed.
An idiot as well because I don't think that postgame is the way to have a positive effect. Calling out officials of the league in the press is really stupid

[heep223]

Ya if he has a real problem with what happened, there are proper channels through management etc. Going out in the press directly is pretty bush league and it reflects poorly on him and the team, no matter what actually happened.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Philly06Cup

NHL refs need more accountability,

and

its a good thing that Prust made his comments public.

Am I really in for minority for saying that?

Yes, and no.

The refs need more accountability, for sure.

That does not excuse or validate what Prust did. He was wrong and stupid.

Not to mention, anyone taking his massively biased and one-sided account at face value, needs to give their head a shake.

[GoFlamesGo89]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, and no.

The refs need more accountability, for sure.

That does not excuse or validate what Prust did. He was wrong and stupid.

Not to mention, anyone taking his massively biased and one-sided account at face value, needs to give their head a shake.

I agree with Philly06 and some of the other posters. I was quick to dismiss this as Prust being himself, but the video matches pretty well with his account. Of course only they know what was said, but as one of the NBC guys noted, its usually the linesman that direct players to the penalty box, and the fact that the ref was there at all and clearly berating him is completely unconventional, not to mention distressingly unprofessional.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

Hate the Lightning, but it's nice to see the Habs fail.

The great detente!

Originally Posted by flameswin

My initial reaction was much like everyone else, that it was ridiculous for Prust to say that publicly. But prust's part aside, after watching the full video, at face value that does appear to have been a very unprofessional altercation that led to the extra minor.

If you compare it to police officers; they're job is to decide if an infraction has occurred and then call it. If a police officer went back to a citizen's car after giving them a ticket and started swearing at them and pointing their finger aggressively in their face, then waited for the person to react and went "That's it you're getting another one!!!!", it'd be ridiculous.

I was thinking that too. Initially I just saw the presser where Prust goes off on the ref and I'm thinking to myself; 'just shut up you idiot!'

But then they show the scene of the ref putting him into the box and I'm not so sure anymore.

I've never seen that before. You make the call and you put him in the box, job done. You dont have the right to give him a sermon afterwards.

So, in conclusion; they're both idiots.

[troutman]

C'Mon, Ref: Prust violated a "code"

http://www.tsn.ca/c-mon-ref-prust-vi...-code-1.274732

We don't yet know what was actually said in the exchange between referee Brad Watson and Brandon Prust, other than comments alleged by Prust in his 'tell-all' post-game interview. Granted, the optics caught on camera at the penalty box, demonstrating a stern finger-pointing lecture from the referee, did not look very professional. We have to reserve final judgment, however, until the results of a formal investigation into the matter have been concluded by Colin Campbell, Sr. V.P. Of Hockey Operations.

Regardless of what was or wasn't said, Prust exercised very poor judgement by taking these allegations against referee Brad Watson to a public forum. The slogan, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" is traditionally a 'code' within the game of hockey. It serves no useful purpose to wash the dirty laundry in the public arena. If (and I personally express a very big "IF"), unprofessional and inappropriate comments were made by the referee there was an appropriate forum for Prust to lodge a complaint through his coach, Michel Terrien, and then to Habs general manager, Marc Bergevin. There does need to be accountability.

As I watched Brandon Prust have his dark moment with the media, I was immediately reminded of Alexandre Burrows standing on a soapbox and bring allegations against former NHL referee Stephane Auger of deliberately targeting the Canuck forward. Following an investigation into that matter, Auger was cleared of any and all inappropriate comments alleged by Burrows. It is inconceivable for me to believe that Brad Watson would unload on any player, regardless of the circumstance, in the profane and unprofessional manner that Brandon Prust has alleged. The jury is out until all evidence is gathered.

With a courtesy extended by Watson not to penalize Prust further, the referee appeared very agitated by something the player said just prior to entering the penalty box. I don't condone the officious manner in which the referee proceeded to lecture Prust; especially utilizing a finger point at the player for a "stern" visual effect. Just as the penalty box door was being closed by Watson a parting shot from Prust resulted in the trigger being pulled by the referee to assess an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That is where it should have ended.

While this is something for the league to manage, we need to reserve final judgment until a full investigation is completed. There needs to be accountability on both sides for sure. As upset or offended as the referee might have been, I find it hard to believe that Brad Watson would fall so far below the line of professional decorum to say what has been alleged by Brandon Prust. Regardless of the outcome of any investigation, Prust has violated a "code." His comments won't sit well with the officiating fraternity.

[Canuck-Hater]

Even if he did make such comments to Prust, who cares? Grow up. We've all watched 24/7 refs swear at players all the time. Prust should shut his trap.

[KidCanada]

Originally Posted by Canuck-Hater

Even if he did make such comments to Prust, who cares? Grow up. We've all watched 24/7 refs swear at players all the time. Prust should shut his trap.

Agreed.
It just all comes across as hypocritical the way MTL downplayed the Subban slash on Stone (the merit of the slash can still be debated) to the media, saying its part of hockey, and then Prust goes to whine about something like this. Prust is not a sympathetic character here. He has been bumping Bishop all series and I guarantee if Tampa was doing that to MTL there would be a huge uproar from the MTL organization.
If the referee was out of line with saying some things, fine, review that, go through the proper channels. This just comes across as a little desperate.
I say all this as a fan of the habs. I just think Prust has hurt them in this series, and drawing attention to his poor self detracts from how poorly the Habs actually played most of last night (maybe that is part of the plan).

[SuperMatt18]

That is bush league by the ref.

Players can talk trash all they want but the ref is supposed to be unbiased and unpartial on the ice.

The ref should never, ever be standing over a player who is in the box and verbally berating him and waiving his finger at him.

I think it's good that Prust called the ref out publically, only way officiating in the league will ever be fixed is if their is more pressure in the public eye.

[automaton 3]

Not sure what the ref was thinking there, I'm guessing it was not just this incident but a whole series of incidents that lead to the beratement.

On the whole, tired of seeing inconsistent officiating in this playoffs. What is classified as a penalty seems to change period to period, let alone game to game.

[calumniate]

'I let the ref know I thought the call was rather soft'

Yeah sure, that's exactly what you said Prust.. word for word. Lol!!

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by codynw

Was Prust always this much of a ######? I always remembered liking him, but maybe I just ignored his crap because he played for the Flames?

Nope he was a hard nosed player with the Flames but the success in NY went to his head and at the end of his tenure there he was becoming a bit of a whiner and since going to Montreal he's been one of the biggest babies in the league. Lost a lot of respect for him since becoming a Hab.

[868904]

Hey has anyone noticed that no one is talking about the Habs being down 2 games to 0?

Funny how that worked out.

[habernac]

Elliotte Friedman

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/p...ne-in-private/