GDT: #12 | Pittsburgh Penguins @ New Jersey Devils | Feb 9th @ 1:00PM EST

[Zero Pucks]

Awesome what the hell I just watched.

 

[SEALBound]

My casts breath smells like cat food

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I will be on the refs from the warmups tomorrow.

 

[nhindian]

I will be on the refs from the warmups tomorrow.

It won't be the same crew, so not sure what good that'll do you.

 

[Pfnf]

thank god it's 9:40 pm and not 3:40 am now

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

martin had half the net to shoot at

 

[lornloxor]

What an abortion of a game.

 

[IcedCapp]

The refs made bad calls. It happens. The team needs to keep their composure. 2 or 3 bad calls is not a good excuse for what this game has turned in to. You can use this same argument the other way. Once we started taking penalties all over the place the refs were going to start calling everything borderline to keep us under control

Again, it wasn't one or two bad calls, it was 2 periods of lopsided, inconsistent enforcement of "rules."

It was 3 bad calls against the Penguins (in a 40-minute span) and how many bad non-calls against the Devils?

I'm not screaming conspiracy or anything, but saying 'play disciplined' when you're getting called for things that aren't penalties just makes me think you're trolling.

 

[BigBadBoris]

What's funnier is how they magically tuck their whistles away come playoff time, because after all, the playoffs are meant to be tougher and more intense. There is zero consistency with anything in this league.

Totally agree. Sad really

 

[Ogrezilla]

martin had half the net to shoot at

ya that needed to be a shot

 

[Darth Vitale]

What a travesty. And I take back every good thing I said about the NJ announcers except that they weren't being morons WRT to teh Pens.

Whoever the guy is (ex-goalie and alleged friend of Shero according to himself), he made about 5 stupid statements in the last 5 minutes of the game. Was Steigy-like.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

12 penalties and expecting more, this team is not disciplined. If the refs are calling everything, you adjust. Nobody to blame but themselves

Not all of them have been legit calls though. In order for the Pens to adjust they basically need to keep at least 3 feet of space between them and the Devils players that are carrying the puck.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Again, it wasn't one or two bad calls, it was 2 periods of lopsided, inconsistent enforcement of "rules."

It was 3 bad calls against the Penguins (in a 40-minute span) and how many bad non-calls against the Devils?

I'm not screaming conspiracy or anything, but saying 'play disciplined' when you're getting called for things that aren't penalties just makes me think you're trolling.

I sure as hell hope the team doesn't take your mentality here. Do you think Bylsma should just go into the locker room and tell the team "hey guys, good game. those refs sure did **** us. Geno, keep up that emotion. It was the ref's fault, not yours."

The team played like crap. Sure, there's a nice big obvious excuse they can use. I hope they choose not to.

 

[WayneSid9987]

So lets argue with the refs AND take dumb penalties to try and win hockey games?

Frustrating to watch.

Firmly believe we didn't get the calls after Sid and DB tried to put the ref on the spot in the first. In the 3rd frustration took over. Something this team has a terrible time dealing with.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

12 penalties and expecting more, this team is not disciplined. If the refs are calling everything, you adjust. Nobody to blame but themselves

Malkin was undisciplined. He should've known the refs were just looking for an excuse this afternoon.

But how the hell do you adjust to calls like the phantom ones on Vitale? Stop hitting altogether on the forecheck?

 

[Hophog]

You think Mike Babcock puts up with this crap. He is all over the zebras early on and let them know the calls are BS. But Disco Dan after five straight penalties is standing there looking confused. Hey Dan, if you don't put some heat on them, they will call that crap all day long.

I'm not sure what method works best. I would think you'd get more respect from the refs by keeping your mouth shut. I like to think there is some accountability and maybe we put together a tape to send to the league outlining how much differently the game was called against the Pens vs Devils. Plenty of ticky tac calls against the Pens and only the blatant one's against the Devils.

If anything the coach should be telling his players to dive every time they get hit along the boards, apparently if you fall down when your hit along the boards it's a penalty.

I'd rather our coach keep his mouth shut and be strong instead of constantly whining to the refs like Babcock.

 

[IcedCapp]

I sure as hell hope the team doesn't take your mentality here. Do you think Bylsma should just tell Geno to keep doing what he's doing, it was just bad refs that caused the problem? The team played like crap. Sure, there's a nice big obvious excuse they can use. I hope they choose not to.

Before I respond, I'm going to need you to explain what "my mentality" is.

Note: try to be accurate, since I never said Geno was disciplined, and I'm pretty sure I said they took penalties out of frustration in the 3rd, which wasn't right.

Like I said, you're trolling?

 

[WayneSid9987]

You most definitely get more respect from refs if you keep your trap shut. Refs are just as hot headed as most coaches are. Try and show them up and you're going to be in the box all game.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Before I respond, I'm going to need you to explain what "my mentality" is.

Note: try to be accurate, since I never said Geno was disciplined, and I'm pretty sure I said they took penalties out of frustration in the 3rd, which wasn't right.

Like I said, you're trolling?

Your mentality seems to be that the refs were the main reason for us losing the game.

 

[gordie]

That is what I like to call a Dan Bylsma special. I guess he's already preparing us for how he plans to botch the upcoming playoffs. Beaten on puck possesion, lack of discipline (Malkin), not paying attention to the refs that are calling everything, nobody interested in getting into Kovalchuk's face, taking shifts off, nobody getting in Brodeur's face, too cute on PP, letting NJ get into Crosby's face and on and on it goes.

 

[IcedCapp]

Your mentality seems to be that the refs were the main reason for us losing the game.

First, you seem to be alone (well, with Terrapin) in thinking that the refs weren't an issue today.

Second, my mentality is: 'the refs were an issue today.'

Third: I'm a fan. I sure hope the team doesn't adopt my mentality. Just like I hope they don't adopt your work ethic, since you were watching TV while they were playing.

Right? I mean, come on.

 

[Ogrezilla]

First, you seem to be alone (well, with Terrapin) in thinking that the refs weren't an issue today.

Second, my mentality is: 'the refs were an issue today.'

I never said that. My problem is with people blaming the loss on the refs.

 

[Hophog]

Malkin was undisciplined. He should've known the refs were just looking for an excuse this afternoon.

But how the hell do you adjust to calls like the phantom ones on Vitale? Stop hitting altogether on the forecheck?

I agree. I've played in league games where the refs just seem to have it out for you and it's confusing as hell. Your watching the other team do the same exact thing you just got penalized for but there is no call. All consistency is out the window and you just have to continue to play. A play that was called against 5 minutes ago may or may not be a penalty 5 minutes later. You can't make adjustments because you have no idea what to expect, short of just letting guys skate around you and knock you on your butt all night.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

The refs were abysmal today, but a LOT of those penalties were deserved, stupid, avoidable penalties.

 

[Crosbyfan]

You think Mike Babcock puts up with this crap. He is all over the zebras early on and let them know the calls are BS. But Disco Dan after five straight penalties is standing there looking confused. Hey Dan, if you don't put some heat on them, they will call that crap all day long.

So lets argue with the refs AND take dumb penalties to try and win hockey games?

Frustrating to watch.

Firmly believe we didn't get the calls after Sid and DB tried to put the ref on the spot in the first. In the 3rd frustration took over. Something this team has a terrible time dealing with.

So...I guess we did not all watch the same game...

The more disciplined "ref friendly" team won? Or did the effect start before the cause?