I think a case could be made for a slew foot by McLeod on Martinett, which started the whole thing. As for Hague, not only the punch to Baron when he was on the ice, but the eye gouge and face rake before it. I really hope Hague is gone for a while.
Sweeney and Reid are poor refs at the best of times. They obviously cannot control a playoff game.
The linesmen should also be called into question for letting that happen to Baron. They basically backed away after the two hit the ice.
That's being kind about the refs. After the questionable call on Barron for crosschecking, Reid gave him two for unsportsmanlike. Nothing like doubling up on a bad call. Chin up, pal, you're getting paid anyway. Then Reid comes storming over pointing his finger at Brown, yelling at him to shut up.
Had Brown done exactly the same thing, he would have been gone, but I guess there is no code of professional conduct here. I thought the body slam by McLeod should have been a penalty. It certainly wasn't a hockey play. Then all hell breaks loose. Games are sometimes on an edge and the officials just lost this one.
Hague pulls that stunt, so ably described already, and gets a GM. The web site says Aggressor, but it could be for not having tie-downs. Regardless, he was allowed to stay in the penalty box for the rest of the period. Maybe a concern about another fight? Likely, because his actions were indefensible.
Of course, the usual crap starts. Refs don't score goals (they can certainly prevent them), they don't make passes. All true, but they can affect the conduct of a game. Like many, I don't think Ottawa has the team to beat Mississauga, but it could have been a better game.
As for the future, I am concerned on a couple of fronts. Firstly, our selection of imports has been spotty at best. Tyanulin is a good player (who would benefit from more focus on shooting). The defenceman we picked couldn't play in the League. Secondly, every year, we look to be a bigger team and every year, we get smaller. Trouble is, our best offensive players this year are among our smallest.
Can Ottawa compete in today's OHL? It takes money and the willingness to spend it. I don't see that commitment. Crowds will come back when performance improves, not before. Expecting large crowds to come and watch marginal playoff teams get pounded is not realistic.
Sorry for the long post.
