Well that's the thing, given the random concussions this year - how far away is he from no longer being in his right mind?
I don't think players who have been relatively healthy with concussions recently think about what if's in the future enough to deter them from retiring at such a young age.
Pens suck for a decade, get gifted Malkin and Crosby, and still can barely beat two budget teams, one of which came within one goal of beating them, the other came within a goal of getting to game 7 without their #1 center
Loser franchise no matter how many cups they win. Hate seeing utter incompetence get rewarded.
**** Pittsburgh
Boo. NHL has a problem with very few teams winning cups in the past 10 years.
It's too bad Fleury and Murray couldn't share the Conn Smythe... without their goaltending; Fleury allowing the team to get past Washington and Murray a reason they won against Predators (minus game 5) the Penguins don't win, imo.
Would have liked to see Preds win, but I'm okay with the Pens winning. Cement the legacy of a few players.
Malkin should have been Conn Smythe winner imo. Oh well, at least he's considered one of the top 100 players....oh, he's not? Oh well.
Anyway, bring on NHL silly season. Vegas going to become my second team, just because I love going there.
there was a game defining early whistle
...And FOUR power plays awarded to the Predators to the Penguins 0 that they couldn't capitalize on. At one point it being a 5 on 3.
It was pretty clear the refs were trying to even it up after the disaster call. A goal is way more important and momentum changing than a few PPs. Pitt may have won anyway, it just sucks the refs decided the game.
No, the refs just didn't at all. Mistakes and misses happen, and just like bad games and miscues by players, they shake it off and move on.
The reffing was fine, the Preds sucked and couldn't score over two games, and deserved to lose.
Blaming the refs is the worst kind of sour grapes in sport. I don't like the Pens at all, but get a grip!
The refs were fine, but the number of obvious goals that get called back by early whistles is ridiculous. The goalie should have to cover the puck for 3 seconds before the ref can blow the whistle. I also purpose one of two rule changes. If a ref loses sight of the puck he has to wait three seconds to blow the whistle, or if a ref loses sight of the puck he makes some sort of hand signal, and the second ref blows the whistle if he also can't see the puck.
I hear so much complaining about offside goals getting called back, but early whistles and intent to blow the whistle calls annoying me much much more.
You try covering a puck with your hand only to have it whacked by hockey sticks for 3 seconds and have players crashing in on you. Those 3 seconds would feel like 10.
Refs blow the whistle when they genuinely think the puck is covered and the play is dead. Extending a dead play for 3 seconds just increases a risk of injury.
Yes, **** happens like it did last night, but all it takes is 1 broken hand and everyone will scream that the refs didn't blow the whistle fast enough.
Perhaps the ability to review plays like this, via coach's challenge or otherwise, is something to consider?
**I would be way more upset if I was a Preds fan though.
Just out of curiosity, how often have goalies been injured while covering the puck? I can't think of any cases tbh, and it's not like players don't jab at covered pucks under the current system.
I mean, if it's obviously covered, blow it dead, but I don't like refs blowing plays dead from obstructed views.
Also, if refs see players taking liberties on a covered puck, slap em with a penalty.
No, the refs just didn't at all. Mistakes and misses happen, and just like bad games and miscues by players, they shake it off and move on.
The reffing was fine, the Preds sucked and couldn't score over two games, and deserved to lose.
Blaming the refs is the worst kind of sour grapes in sport. I don't like the Pens at all, but get a grip!
so bodog is saying Toronto has 2X better odds at winning the cup than the Senators in 2018
https://sports.bodog.eu/hockey/nhl
So let's bet on the Sens.
Just out of curiosity, how often have goalies been injured while covering the puck? I can't think of any cases tbh, and it's not like players don't jab at covered pucks under the current system.
I mean, if it's obviously covered, blow it dead, but I don't like refs blowing plays dead from obstructed views.
Also, if refs see players taking liberties on a covered puck, slap em with a penalty.
The winning goal was scored after a clear bump on Rinne putting him off balance which is clear goalie interference. Without that bump he doesn't score from behind the net. Score that as gift #2 by the refs and the cup for the Pens.
Probably happens slightly more than you think, but only because they'll play through it unless its particularly bad.
I mean, Lundqvist as they pointed out had that glove which didn't close. While it may provide a slightly larger surface area, it also would mean he could easily play with busted fingers. Not saying that's why he was using it, just that it'd allow him to play through injury easier
I'm sure you'd see a few more injuries if this '3 second wait' rule was implemented.
That rule will never and should never happen. Sucks that the ref blew the whistle early but I could see why he did, it looked like a save that Murray held on to at first glance, especially from his angle.
The conspiracy theorists are ridiculous. There was no fix. It was a missed call, it happens. People really think the NHL wouldn't have liked a game 7? People actually believe the refs are told to favour one team over the other? I'd hate to think that way, might as well watch WWE.
Karlsson got one 3rd place vote for the Conn Smythe.