Is there still someone who thinks that the Pens are getting favourable reffing?

billybudd

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Feb 1, 2012
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They've got some gritty players, I'm not really that surprised to be honest.

Yeah, but that's not where the discrepancy is coming from.

It's less what's called against them than it is what's let go against the other team. Malkin will get a marginal hook in the offensive zone on a stick lift (something that a guy like Zetterberg or Datsyuk would NOT be called on)...fine, whatever.

But on the next powerplay, you'll have an opposition player grab Martin's stick and throw it, pitchfork Goc's skates out from under him or hook Sutter to the ice on a breakaway and...nothing. Offensive zone penalties when the team committing them is up a man have normally been as close to automatic as it gets.

I'm loathe to engage in conspiracies, but something's up since the beginning of November.


Best analogy I can give is that when it's the Penguins doing something, the stripes are acting like they're in day one of an obstruction crackdown and when it's something being done to the Penguins, they're calling the game as if it's overtime in a game 7.
 

ThirdManIn

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Aug 9, 2009
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The power play is lethal, so I'm willing to bet many teams take extra care to not end up in the box against pittsburgh

Exactly. Pittsburgh beats you on the PP. Solution? Do your best to not give them PPs.

It's strategy, not reffing conspiracy or anything like that. Inconsistent officiating effects all teams.
 

Beukeboom Fan

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Exactly. Pittsburgh beats you on the PP. Solution? Do your best to not give them PPs.

It's strategy, not reffing conspiracy or anything like that. Inconsistent officiating effects all teams.

I think it should be noted as well that from my "eye test" PP chances seem to be down significantly across the league. I know the Hawks have only seem to been averaging 2-3 PP or SH situations per game, which is low for them compared to the past.
 

CanadienShark

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Dec 18, 2012
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It's just myths that people keep propagating. Just like the Habs get all the calls in the world.
 

Bee Sheriff

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I think it should be noted as well that from my "eye test" PP chances seem to be down significantly across the league. I know the Hawks have only seem to been averaging 2-3 PP or SH situations per game, which is low for them compared to the past.

I agree with this.
 

Human

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That's not really true. Not every captain whines and cries. Our ex-captain, Callahan, was as much of a whiner as Crosby is. Our current captain is much more subdued.

When Drury was captain he also was never a whiner.

it's ok, you have Lundqvist and you had Dubinsky. those two were like the whiny twins...
 

ThirdManIn

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I think it should be noted as well that from my "eye test" PP chances seem to be down significantly across the league. I know the Hawks have only seem to been averaging 2-3 PP or SH situations per game, which is low for them compared to the past.

Just looking at Nashville:

So far this year the Predators are averaging 3 power plays per game, and averaging 2.65 times shorthanded. Last season they average 2.9 per game for both.

Not a huge difference, though Lavy's puck possession strategy is cutting down on taking penalties.
 

Blueline Bomber

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I think it should be noted as well that from my "eye test" PP chances seem to be down significantly across the league. I know the Hawks have only seem to been averaging 2-3 PP or SH situations per game, which is low for them compared to the past.

I've noticed this too.
 

Saitama

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I never thought the Pens got a whole lot of extra powerplays, but it always seemed to me that they got them at just the right times. If the Pens were losing, you could almost count on them getting a late PP. So yeah, to me it wasn't quantity, it was the timing. I've got to say though, haven't really seen that this year so far!
 

Human

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I never thought the Pens got a whole lot of extra powerplays, but it always seemed to me that they got them at just the right times. If the Pens were losing, you could almost count on them getting a late PP. So yeah, to me it wasn't quantity, it was the timing. I've got to say though, haven't really seen that this year so far!

could you provide some numbers for supporting these claims?
 

Saitama

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could you provide some numbers for supporting these claims?

Did you see the part where I said "it seemed to me". Which means that I definitely could be wrong, but this is how it felt to me. Nothing wrong with that, I didn't say it was an ironclad fact.
 

Novak Djokovic

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Difference between PP opportunities and times on the PK the since 2009

CAR 154
CHI 143
TOR 114
SJS 90
DET 88
FLA 53
NYI 41
NJD 35
NSH 35
NYR 33
CGY 25
TBL 22
CBJ 21
LAK 8
DAL 4
PIT 1
PHX -8
MIN -19
VAN -26
BUF -28
STL -36
PHI -37
WPG -53
EDM -61
WSH -63
ANA -75
BOS -78
MTL -100
OTT -133
COL -149

Nobody thinks Carolina gets advantage from referees on this board, eh? :naughty: It's pretty simple. Pittsburgh is easy to pick on due to their success and popularity.

Also, I had to laugh at the notion that they get timely PPs. It seems like that because you want to think that way.
 

Dying Alive

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Nobody thinks Carolina gets advantage from referees on this board, eh? :naughty: It's pretty simple. Pittsburgh is easy to pick on due to their success and popularity.

Also, I had to laugh at the notion that they get timely PPs. It seems like that because you want to think that way.

Any time the "Pens get all the calls" myth is debunked, the timing of calls issue comes up. Predictable as the sun rising in the east.
 

Beukeboom Fan

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I think it should be noted as well that from my "eye test" PP chances seem to be down significantly across the league. I know the Hawks have only seem to been averaging 2-3 PP or SH situations per game, which is low for them compared to the past.

That's what I get for my "eye" test. On a per game basis - so far 2014 is on an identical pace from a penalty/game perspective as 2013 (both about 3.3 per game per team).
 

bambamcam4ever

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Feb 16, 2012
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I never thought the Pens got a whole lot of extra powerplays, but it always seemed to me that they got them at just the right times. If the Pens were losing, you could almost count on them getting a late PP. So yeah, to me it wasn't quantity, it was the timing. I've got to say though, haven't really seen that this year so far!

A certain Flyers fan used to repeat this fabrication, but it is not based in reality whatsoever. I remember looking this up, and over a two year span, I think the Pens received a PP in the last 5 minutes while trailing by 1 or 2 one single time.
 

BHD

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Dec 27, 2009
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Any time the "Pens get all the calls" myth is debunked, the timing of calls issue comes up. Predictable as the sun rising in the east.

Basically, the calls can't be made when the opposing team is...

- holding onto a lead
- down in a game
- or tied

Any other juncture of the game is fine.
 

Will Hunting

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We Habs fans know that feel, Pens fans.
Yeah, thats why I´m mentioning the Habs in the OP as well. Montreal typical, you know :laugh:

As for the Rangers fans here admitting that they haven´t seen bias towards the Pens this year so far.. Well, how would they? In 3 PIT-NYR games, Rangers got twice as many PPs as the Pens. I´m almost starting to expect these games to go like that, just like I´m absolutely expecting that in every CAR games for a long time now.

As for those PP/PK differentials over the 5 years period.. I have to say that I´m not at all surprised that the Canes are leading it. I´m wondering about this mystery for a long time without even knowing this stat.. and PIT-CAR game never disappoints in this manner :laugh: I like the Canes, just dont know why this is the case so often..
 
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Invictus12

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Aug 1, 2010
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I never thought the Pens got a whole lot of extra powerplays, but it always seemed to me that they got them at just the right times. If the Pens were losing, you could almost count on them getting a late PP. So yeah, to me it wasn't quantity, it was the timing. I've got to say though, haven't really seen that this year so far!

TBH, I feel like every team is getting a PP at just the right time. Might just be me rubbing off the complaints of posters on HF...

However, it does feel like if your team is up in the closing minutes of the game, there will be a penalty against you.

It might be possible that the league is trying to keep games closer to make it more exciting artificially.

I should also mention that it's just as likely for the team that's losing to be pressing much harder and as a result, the team defending it's lead is more desperate and will resort to hooking, etc...
 

Blueline Bomber

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As for those PP/PK differentials over the 5 years period.. I have to say that I´m not at all surprised that the Canes are leading it. I´m wondering about this mystery for a long time without even knowing this stat.. and PIT-CAR game never disappoints in this manner :laugh: I like the Canes, just dont know why this is the case so often..

As far as Carolina goes, some of that may be the fact that Carolina has never run the physical style of play. That means less roughing calls, less interference, less insitgator and less fighting majors.

Another factor may be the success (or lack thereof) of Carolina's PP. As stated earlier, teams are more careful not to take penalties against Pittsburgh because their PP is deadly. The opposite could apply as well, though perhaps subconsciously.

If an opposing team has gone 0/5 on the PP in the game already and hasn't come close to even setting up possession in those 5 chances, players may be a little more loose with their sticks, knowing that, even if they are called for a penalty, it likely won't hurt them.
 

rintinw

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Oct 9, 2014
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As far as Carolina goes, some of that may be the fact that Carolina has never run the physical style of play. That means less roughing calls, less interference, less insitgator and less fighting majors.

Another factor may be the success (or lack thereof) of Carolina's PP. As stated earlier, teams are more careful not to take penalties against Pittsburgh because their PP is deadly. The opposite could apply as well, though perhaps subconsciously.

If an opposing team has gone 0/5 on the PP in the game already and hasn't come close to even setting up possession in those 5 chances, players may be a little more loose with their sticks, knowing that, even if they are called for a penalty, it likely won't hurt them.

Chicago is right up there with Carolina and Detroit and San Jose are also Top 5. Just saying ...
 

DutchShamrock

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Nov 22, 2005
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Pens absolutely deserve more calls. All of a sudden about a month ago the penalties just stopped. I've never seen anything like it. One - two calls a game for like 12 straight games? NEVER seen anything like it.

It coincides with Crosby's stick slamming tantrum against NYR. I think the 29 other fan bases would day the pens were getting some very, very good calls. So for Crosby to embarrass the refs on pretty much a non-call is bad.

Plus teams are probably playing disciplined hockey against the most dangerous pp.

Not watching too many games for the pens, seeing this kind of drop off in calls, without the numbers over the past few seasons in front of me, I would say its a combination of both. Maybe a little crackdown on diving sprinkled in?
 

nekyvGkOPaiWICTscLl6

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Of course the only time they get more PPs is against the Canucks.
Seriously - this league...

I cannot tell whether I'm just a conspiracy theorist or what, but the Canucks sure get the ****** end of the stick more often than not.
 

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