Islanders Point Blank: Tavares: Refs are letting more go

[The Underboss]

Scoring is down this season in the NHL. Sidney Crosby leads the league in scoring with just 80 points, while Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares both trail by a single tally at 79.

Why? According to the Islanders’ captain, it’s because referees are calling less penalties.

“I’ve said this before, and I don’t try to be critical of it, but there is less being called,†Tavares told The NY Post. “It’s just part of the game. If there’s less being let go, then there’s less opportunity to create time and space. There is a little more let go and fewer power plays.â€

http://islanderspointblank.com/islanders/tavares-refs-are-letting-more-go/

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[Isles Junkie]

I'm not entirely sure I agree with him.

 

[seafoam]

Stop worrying about the officiating and put pucks in the net.

If he thinks this is bad, wait till the playoffs.

 

[CupHolders]

I'm not entirely sure I agree with him.

Not sure what the numbers are regarding penalty calls this year vs. other years. But, I definitely do feel there is more leeway given by the refs regarding interference. I feel that I have been seeing more:

*Defenders get an extra second and step to take away the lane of an opposing forechecker

*Picks in the offensive zone that have resulted with an attacking player making contact with a defender

However, I do not think that the Isles have suffered from this anymore than any other team. It seems to be widespread from the small sample of non-Islander games that I have watched since the ASG.

EDIT: Also agree with seafoam regarding the playoffs. Most certainly will only get worse. That's why more players need to start pulling an Anders Lee and go to the net.

 

[The Underboss]

Regardless of who said it, the refs have been allowing more clutching, grabbing and obstruction type plays to happen.

 

[Flair19Woo]

Regardless of who said it, the refs have been allowing more clutching, grabbing and obstruction type plays to happen.

^^this, exactly. A few years ago they went out of their way to call these types of penalties. More and more I see obstruction on the dump and chase by dmen. It's crap.

 

[JetsMetsIsles]

Stop worrying about the officiating and put pucks in the net.

If he thinks this is bad, wait till the playoffs.

I dont think he's worried about the officiating as long as its fair. If they let more go they let more go. Its an honest answer to why scoring is down.

 

[Sparksrus3]

The 4 minutes against Brian Strait was not let go.