Mayhem reigns in Stanley Cup playoffs

[gphockey]

Many previous posts here are reactionary to incidents that have happened in the post season.

But I think the main issue is the change in officiating the second the post season starts. I will name a few rules that are not all that well enforced in the post season...add to the list as you see fit.

What happened to:

Interference? After playing 82 games, suddenly the refs think D men bullriding forecheckers to the boards and then raising both their hands is acceptable after the parade of players they tossed all season long?

Hooking? Seemed like the last two seasons, this penalty has been the poster child of the NHL. I know in the games I have watched, any horizontal stick "Touching" a player, pretty much in any zone, has been 2 minutes. Can they not see this?

Slashing? Break your stick over someone in the regular season. Box. Automatic.
Post season, get some new lumber and look for the next victim.

Holding? All season long, 2 minutes. Postseason. Looks like an episode of dancing with the stars. Pick you partner and get personal.

I like the wide open up and down 7 to 5 games, not the 2-1 double OT clutch and grab style that the NHL seems to condone in the post season.
Seems ironic to me, you call it 82 games of the year, and then just when the casual fans are tuning in, you let your game go south again.

I am not talking about the blatent crap that Shanny has had to deal with although one may argue that some of it stems from frustration of players trying to get free, but the fact that the referees now have a different view of the game...ah, let em play.
And by the way, I am good with ah...let em play...IF they let em play all season.

Be consistant and steady with enforcement of the rules, make the right calls and the game will still be great to watch.

[the_narrow_way]

Originally Posted by gphockey

And by the way, I am good with ah...let em play...IF they let em play all season. Be consistant and steady with enforcement of the rules, make the right calls and the game will still be great to watch.

That's my biggest gripe. Call the games consistently all season long.

[Top Shelf]

Originally Posted by the_narrow_way

That's my biggest gripe. Call the games consistently all season long.

Amen to that

[BurnTHalO]

Originally Posted by the_narrow_way

That's my biggest gripe. Call the games consistently all season long.

See to me that goes back to the league offices. When they get hours of replays and as much time as they need and can't show any consistancy on a decision, how can you expect a ref who needs to react in a fraction of a second to do so? Basically if a hit is a 25 game suspension one time, and a 0 game suspension the next time, how is a ref supposed to know if it should be a 0,2,5, or game misconduct?

[the_narrow_way]

Yeah, it's a system-wide problem, from the top to the bottom.

[gphockey]

How many of these hits are illegal today?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLGES...eature=related