I spend enough time questioning the officiating when it goes against the Red Wings that it would be hypocritical of me not to do to so tonight.
With Detroit up 2-1 in the game's closing minutes, Ilya Kovalchuk poked a loose puck past Jimmy Howard. Tie game? Nope. The referee ruled that Howard had been pushed in with the puck.
Replay shows this is clearly the wrong call. The puck was loose and the goal should have been good. But the ref couldn't have been in position to see that.
This is a case where more replay has to be allowed. Either that or more input from the other officials on the ice.
None of the spots on the ice where that ref should have been would have allowed him to see the other side of Howard's pad. Based on a strict interpretation of the rules - the kind of interpretation that the Wings get burned on with "intent to blow" calls - the referee can never make the right call because he will never be able to see exactly what's happening.
The Red Wings lucked out on this one but that doesn't change the fact that it was a bad call made possible by flawed rules. It's time to accept the simple fact that the referee can't see everything on the ice.
It's the last game before the All-Star break as the Red Wings host the New Jersey Devils tonight.
The Devils are last in the league but are playing their best hockey of the season as of late, having won their last four. Martin Brodeur was one of the three stars of the week for the NHL last week.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings are coming off a lazy loss to the Chicago Blackhawks last Saturday. They held off the St. Louis Blues for a 4-3 OT win before that but earlier last week there was that 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, so the trend is that the Wings are struggling.
Pavel Datsyuk and Danny Cleary are both expected back after the All-Star break so there's a light at the end of the tunnel for Detroit; they just need to get through this one first.
Missed the Helm goal, was working when Twitter blew up about it. Really solid PK there, though.
f*ck, Jimmy! Control the goddamned rebound!
Wings got going a bit in the second half of the second period there. Gotta keep that momentum. Great chance at the end for Franzen.
Dammit, Mule, that was a huge chance there.
Just got home as there was a bad accident on the 15. I see the usual trio of bloggers is in the house!
The Doctor is in!
Boy, he's over the flu.
Fil!!!!!
Come on MD... Your boy scored... Where is your two cents?
Everyone already beat me to the catchy phrases. Plus my mind is too baffled by why the spammers only love the olympic hockey thread.
But him and Helm are doing a good job 
I am so happy Helm did not get hurt earlier!
That's more like it! Now we just need a little insurance.
Unfortunately... J.M.F blew a tire on that one.
Nothing on the long five-on-three. Dammit.
If only they'd remembered that rule back in 2007.
Yeah, Wings got lucky as hell there.
J.M.F. Franzen finally breaks through!
Wings lucked the f*ck out on that one. Absolutely lucky as hell that Kovalchuk goal wasn't allowed.
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