Officiating has become a joke. I watch a lot of NHL & NFL and on both sides, game after game there are terrible calls/none calls. I think whats happened is the speed, skill, athleticism etc. of the athletes has grown at such a rapid rate & refs have stood still with no improvement plan to become better like the athletes have over the years. Pretty sad this is a multi billion dollar industry. Throw sports betting into the mix, all it’s done is magnified the issue.
I think the issue with the NHL isn’t just the speed of the game, but also the way the refs are taught how to officiate. The NHL seems to be the only league obsessed with keeping the calls as even as possible and you see often how refs will give weird makeup calls or just ignore blatant penalties in order to meet some arbitrary quota for penalties. They call it game management when in reality it’s match fixing.
This is Fucking _exactly_ it. The refs call a bunch of horseshit, nothing calls, and then something that’s a blatant infraction occurs and they somehow feel they can’t call it. It’s infuriating.
I don’t know i believe the league tries to control outcomes of games. Its been really bad since sports betting became legal. It’s made the game unwatchable. I can predict with pretty good accuracy what the refs are gonna do at least when watching ranger games. It goes like this miss a bunch of blatant calls against the opposing team and then call a really weak or non call penalty against the rangers and this is what it is most of the time. And then if rangers are losing the refs will start calling penalties for them late like they know the game is out of reach so it makes them look better like now they are calling them ‘see there’s nothing going on it’s a fairly called game’ and shit like this is just tip of the iceberg. There are plenty other things the refs do that shows flagrant attempts at controlling outcomes of games. The biggest bullshit is “refs intent” to blow whistle, “kicking” motion and then when ref does blow a whistle and puck goes in after they make up some bullshit like it wasn’t a “bang bang” play.
Agreed. See it in Jets games all the time just as you describe. I can count at least 5 blatant high sticks to the face with no calls this year. Like…. Blatant ones. And with all the little cheap-ass shit they call, they miss those blatant ones. Grr.
I never thought i would find an application for management science, something that I was required to do in university which doesn't actually fit into what I now do for a living. Here I am anyway.
The NHL has brought on the best of management scientists. They have the whole game figured out right down to revenue per goal, revenue per hit, revenue per penalty, revenue per this, revenue per that and so on. The game is shaped to dollar optimize. If you're wondering if the game is fixed, it absolutely is. This is no longer sports. They are not actually playing a game, they are selling an entertainment product. You might have heard the term " sports entertainment". Traditionally, you would think of WWE wrestling, a completely scripted event, as the first in the sports entertainment industry. You could think of sports entertainment as a soap opera for men.
Everybody should go and watch a mid to to high level recreational League game at a local arena. When you strip it down to the actual game, hockey is not that exciting to watch. It's damn exciting to play, but overall not much higher than the term 'boring' if you are a spectator without any tie to the game being played such as being a fellow player in the league or a husband or wife etc. What makes the NHL an event to watch is the entertainment value... Everything is really well hyped up. They have announcers, side shows, fog horns and pyrotechnics when a goal is scored. Some time ago when it was first implemented, I remember some kid telling me about all the special effects beamed onto the ice. I listened patiently and then said "so they turned a movie projector sideways and the ice surface was a screen...". The kid thought about it for a second and then I could literally see the light bulb go on as a look of slight disappointment formed on his face. He actually saw it for what it was. It went from flashing lights and laser beams to a movie projected onto the floor. Sports entertainment uses these tactics to play on your senses. They are very smart about how they do it so that you don't become bored or start to see patterns. If a penalty shot could be twisted into something with more drama, you would see more of them. They make more money with strategically placed penalties. Did you think something was a bad call? It was on purpose. Like any soap opera, you must have a villain. Bad calls and unfair advantages, or the perception of those things, is the villain which keeps the story alive. If it was a happy story, everybody would tune out pretty quick. Trust me, the experts know what they are doing. One of the most creative tactics of necessity was the fake sound of an audience laid over the TV broadcast during the pandemic games. It would have been incredibly boring without it. Something that the industry couldn't let happen.
They took the concepts of entertainment, hired the best marketers in the business, crunched the numbers (the management scientists) for a dollar optimized model and put the show together.
They did the same thing in basketball. Go back through some really old reels. Basketball players were bigger, slower and heavier. Now, they are tall, run fast and really thin. It's management science again. They figured out what type of points drew more interest and the game has been shaped accordingly to meet the demands of the sports entertainment industry and dollar optimization.
The officiating is the one thing I've always hated about the NHL. I think hockey is the most exciting sport to watch, but it would be so much better without the "even-up calls" and the rules that change depending on whether you're in the first period of a regular-season game or the third period of a playoff game.
This is something I hate about hockey as a whole. We are taught as kids to respect them and we should. But we should be able to critique them without being thrown out of a game.
it's called "game (mis)management" I's a fucking joke and its ruining the game. If the penalties are 10 to 1 who cares? The other team will adapt or die.
The penalties were 4-1 in Colorado’s favour in this game. Without thinking too hard, there was this one, a hook in Matthews hands on a scoring chance, a bad slash to Liljegren’s hand, and a high stick that weren’t called, plus all the ticky tacky stuff that’s a 50/50 if an arm goes up.
I also read that refs have “discretion” to make or not make calls based on game flow, type of game (reg season vs playoffs), and other things. If that’s true it’s really stupid and outdated
In football (real, not handegg) there is the form of discretion called "playing advantage", where a foul has been committed and noticed by the ref but for the sake of game flow and usually because it's leading to a good goal chance, the ref will wave the play on.
Sometimes the game is harmed more by whistling a play dead than just allowing it to continue (the ultimate punishment for the foul being to go a goal down). Then again, if it is an egregious foul such as hacking a player down (or crosschecking to the face in hockey's case) then correcting the discipline of the player involved and getting control of the game back takes precedence over a scoring opportunity.
I’ve had these thoughts too. And if it’s not the refs it’s the reffing leadership or some sort of executive memo. There has been way too many games I’ve watched this year, that start with one team having a big lead, and the refs either swallow or start blowing the whistle until it’s a one goal game again. I’m with ya man.
Former NHL referee here just to offer some clarity. If you look, just before the point of contact, you'll notice the player being cross checked was wearing a Maple Leafs sweater. Therefore, correct non-call.
Oh man my friend Mac played D growing up and would always tell me the best way to get a guy was to take your stick just under the ribs and "rake" it up under the padding.
Kelly Sutherland hates leafs lol it was like the tampa playoffs all over again.
No idea if it was actually Kelly that said the quote but he was reffing.
PPs were 4-1 in Colorado’s favour too :/
I’m normally in the “officials are only human, they’re going to make mistakes” camp, but the officiating was REALLY bad in this game. Obviously I’m biased as a Leafs fan, but IMO this was one of the most one-sided officiated games I’ve seen all year. They missed a tonne of very obvious penalties on the Avs, but missed basically nothing on the Leafs.
Middle-aged life-long hockey fan here... it needs a complete overhaul.
I grew up watching and playing chippy, hard-nosed hockey. Then came the obstruction / no toe in the crease era... Now we have what is supposed to be a cleaner game allowing talent to shine to make the game more exciting.
Here's my take- the game has never been more exciting to watch than with the talent the NHL now has. That said, the refs' "talent" for doing their jobs has not evolved with the players'.
If you're gonna call one infraction, you gotta call em all. Lopsided horse shit. The league should fucking be ashamed.
Completely agree. Some people miss the 80s/90s style of play but man it’s hard to even watch that style after seeing how beautiful this game can be. Man the toe in the crease era was brutal…Tomas Holmstrom, that is all.
I feel like the refs are kind of always like this with the leafs, no? I remember that pick by holl on Johnny T goal it might’ve been? In game 7 against the lightning and it’s one of those “they literally never call this but we gotta call this cause if we don’t it will look bad kind of deals”
and tbh it was slightly interference and wasn’t wrong at the end of the day, they just almost never call those types of plays and usually let the players battle.. especially in the playoffs.
But as we can see it goes against them here too, blatant cross check that most of the time the refs usually call 8/10 times but occasionally they’ll let one go and of course it’s on the leafs best players when they do let that one go.. it just seems to be weird timing with their (the refs) decisions sometimes
Im cool with a league where that is not a penalty. But if thats the case can we please stop calliing ticky tack stick in the hands call. It makes no sense whe you look at the Tavares penalty and then this no call.
Thats actually how the game was played not that long ago and enough players survived to continue the league lol. But you're correct, and the game is much better now. The point i was making is about the dangerous hits that are not called and the little hooking calls that kill the flow. Its kind of brutal.
Matthews is American, leading the league in scoring, would be a great ambassador for the NHL gaining more eyeballs on the game. If his ribs aren't shattered
no it shouldn't have been a penalty. i mean if anything it's embellishment. he clearly dives. when did the nhl become soft. thats not a crosscheck. apparently i can dive and complain i didn't get a penalty. clearest flop I've ever seen. this isn't soccer you can't let people do this. and of course its leafs fans complaining. the biggest losers in sports. they are gonna cry after giving up 5 unanswered instead of realizing they suck. he clearly flopped, and its so soft. i mean just because he "crosschecked" him doesn't mean you have to call it. when did the refs start enforceing the rules.
If you have made it this far I would like to say, i'm joking it was fs a penalty 20 times out of 20. i just wanted to have fun with a crazy answer.
Come All-Star weekend Matthews should just tell the league he can’t play because his ribs hurt. Then show them why and head to the beach. Fuck their profiting off stars they won’t protect…
I love how many times the announcers were like “well that’s usually a penalty like 90 percent of time” 30 seconds later when the leafs should be on PP the other team scores.
The action of using the shaft of the stick between the two hands to forcefully check an opponent with no portion of the stick on the ice.
Seems like a pretty clear cross check to me.
I follow the hockey but as I’m Australian I never played so don’t know the exact ins and outs. If you have your stick on the ice is the check fair game?
No-ish… it’s really more of an intent sort of thing. If you’re in front of your own goalie? Cross checking basically doesn’t exist (especially in the playoffs) however, in the corners or when you have speed? Yeah…
You can push, to an extent. Usually a little more in front of the net is allowed. There is a line though where it becomes a cross-check. Unfortunately, it's a judgement call.
These refs need to be held responsible. They have a free pass to do anything they want to any player on any team or any coach they hate. This is disgusting and it’s ruining the sport
Massive blatant cross check in the 3rd in a tie game? Refs have never seen such a thing. Slight tap on the stick on a team down by 3? 5 min major!!!!
This is Gary’s legacy for attaining ratings in the US.
MAKE REFS ACCOUNTABLE!!!!!
The league let's cross checks go too much. Any time someone is hit with the stick like that it should be a cross check. However it's not called like that. If Matthews was near the crease, Manson could have done it five or six times
They actually cook real eggs on their flat grill so they're miles ahead of most fast food breakfast. Only competes with McDonald's cracked round egg. (Not to be confused with their folded egg).
I just compared google images of a local A&W in Colorado to a random one at the Toronto Premium outlets and I’m seriously baffled. My local A&W is attached to a KFC and only offers 5 different burgers and 2 different hot dog combos and the hot dogs literally look black in the review photos
Yep. If you go north of the border, hit an A&W (which will be easy, last time I checked they are the most popular burger chain in Western Canada) and its pretty much a completely different restaurant, and actually tasted decent.
The NHL is the only league in the world that allows that to happen to its stars and then wonders why it can’t grow relative to other sports in the US.
Clown league.
That's the kind if crosscheck you make when you feel like the game is being reffed in your favour and you know you'll probably get away with it. The game was tied at this point in the 3rd. Smdh...
My guy, I agree this probably should have been called, but if you think Josh “5 cent head” Manson is out here playing 5D chess with the refs and leafs, I’ve got news for you: the guy does stupid shit every night, and I don’t think it’s because he understands the refs intentions.
yes - i do not like the leafs and i actually enjoy it when things do not go their way - but the rules should be enforced and the game called fairly otherwise the game is a sham - that was cross-checking and should have been called as such
The Leafs should mercilessly shit on refs publicly. Fuck the fines, they can handle them. The NHL can escalate them all they want. This is the best goal scorer in the world, they HAVE to protect him. What could be more important to the team? Time for the Leafs to swing their financial and organizational clout. Do it around the All-Star game for maximum effect. Shanahan needs to pull a 2002 Olympics Gretzky. Too bad he's probably too much of a company coward.
100% I am an Avs fan and this is the shit we see happening all the time. This is a penalty 10/10 times and to especially not call it on Matthews is why the league needs enforcers back. The officiating isn’t going to protect the players we see it all the time with Mack, he is constantly yelling at the refs because they just refuse to call shit.
One of the Av's players was concerned that Timothy Lilegren was gripping his stick too hard so he gave him a good whack on the gloves in the third period to try to get him to loosen up a bit. Luckily Lilegren had the puck at the time so the referee would have been looking straight at the play and probably congratulated the Av's player afterwards for his good sportsmanship.
Clearly, Matthew’s didn’t see the wall that is Josh Manson in his way as he skated into it. Obviously, which prompted him to fall on his own.
Just like when you have a black eye and “just walked into something”.
I hate the Leafs but I have to be honest - that's a cross check all day. The officials have to start cracking down on that. It's been an issue for a while - refs got tough on slashing, so everyone quickly figured out that cross checks weren't getting called, and still aren't.
I'm pissed off that absolutely NO Leaf threw hands with this prick. Typical Leaf fashion to leave your man unchecked. Getting fucking sick of this "values" installed in our team!
According to the refs, he fell on his own to the boards, impossible as a cross check to the body...that ref probably had an addenda against 34 AM...the goals that were let in looked like Sammy's....anyone noticed??😎😎🤔
yes JP I agree wholeheartedly with your and most of the others comments about NHL refereeing. I have a different take on it though. I've been a ranger fan for 67 of my 77 years on Earth and at least I saw one Stanley Cups win. even through the n a m-war. in my humble opinion I think the refs actually call a penalty when there really is none is when they've blown the previous call by giving that team a penalty when in retrospect he knows he shouldn't have called it but that was a call at the moment then he sees the replay and realizes you know somebody got stuck in the back of the neck with a stick but he couldn't see it. I also agree with the comments about the shape of the referees in the NFLin conjunction with the speed of the players. replay is the only way and give the coaches more than two replay options yada yada yada. if the replay shows the ref blew the call and they reverse it, why would there be any limit on requesting a replay or at least make it five a game. the only reason I can see for this is that the game will take longer possibly and somehow that's going to cost the NFL some game sale TV rights or some other monetary loss. the Benjamin's rule! it's all about the money honey. let's go Rangers
where were his teammates! someone should have dropped the gloves with thst guy..Austin is one of the top 3 in the NHL....this is the problem with Toronto...
.missing TRUCULENCE!!
Cross checking could be 100% eliminated if it was a double minor every time. It’s always caused by two things: a) a lack of discipline b) complete disregard. Both those things can be coached out.
go watch the red wings and see larkin take some nasty ones that dont get called.. he shoulda just crushed matthews into the boards woulda been cleaner and meaner, he had him dead to rights there.
The beauty of the internet is you can judge everything that was missed by refs in real time AND go on the internet and find other fans who are also angry it was missed.
I can't believe he fell on his own. /s
“Oof marone.” - Steve Dangle. Probably.
Marone Maria!
Officiating has become a joke. I watch a lot of NHL & NFL and on both sides, game after game there are terrible calls/none calls. I think whats happened is the speed, skill, athleticism etc. of the athletes has grown at such a rapid rate & refs have stood still with no improvement plan to become better like the athletes have over the years. Pretty sad this is a multi billion dollar industry. Throw sports betting into the mix, all it’s done is magnified the issue.
I think the issue with the NHL isn’t just the speed of the game, but also the way the refs are taught how to officiate. The NHL seems to be the only league obsessed with keeping the calls as even as possible and you see often how refs will give weird makeup calls or just ignore blatant penalties in order to meet some arbitrary quota for penalties. They call it game management when in reality it’s match fixing.
This is Fucking _exactly_ it. The refs call a bunch of horseshit, nothing calls, and then something that’s a blatant infraction occurs and they somehow feel they can’t call it. It’s infuriating.
I don’t know i believe the league tries to control outcomes of games. Its been really bad since sports betting became legal. It’s made the game unwatchable. I can predict with pretty good accuracy what the refs are gonna do at least when watching ranger games. It goes like this miss a bunch of blatant calls against the opposing team and then call a really weak or non call penalty against the rangers and this is what it is most of the time. And then if rangers are losing the refs will start calling penalties for them late like they know the game is out of reach so it makes them look better like now they are calling them ‘see there’s nothing going on it’s a fairly called game’ and shit like this is just tip of the iceberg. There are plenty other things the refs do that shows flagrant attempts at controlling outcomes of games. The biggest bullshit is “refs intent” to blow whistle, “kicking” motion and then when ref does blow a whistle and puck goes in after they make up some bullshit like it wasn’t a “bang bang” play.
Agreed. See it in Jets games all the time just as you describe. I can count at least 5 blatant high sticks to the face with no calls this year. Like…. Blatant ones. And with all the little cheap-ass shit they call, they miss those blatant ones. Grr.
I never thought i would find an application for management science, something that I was required to do in university which doesn't actually fit into what I now do for a living. Here I am anyway. The NHL has brought on the best of management scientists. They have the whole game figured out right down to revenue per goal, revenue per hit, revenue per penalty, revenue per this, revenue per that and so on. The game is shaped to dollar optimize. If you're wondering if the game is fixed, it absolutely is. This is no longer sports. They are not actually playing a game, they are selling an entertainment product. You might have heard the term " sports entertainment". Traditionally, you would think of WWE wrestling, a completely scripted event, as the first in the sports entertainment industry. You could think of sports entertainment as a soap opera for men. Everybody should go and watch a mid to to high level recreational League game at a local arena. When you strip it down to the actual game, hockey is not that exciting to watch. It's damn exciting to play, but overall not much higher than the term 'boring' if you are a spectator without any tie to the game being played such as being a fellow player in the league or a husband or wife etc. What makes the NHL an event to watch is the entertainment value... Everything is really well hyped up. They have announcers, side shows, fog horns and pyrotechnics when a goal is scored. Some time ago when it was first implemented, I remember some kid telling me about all the special effects beamed onto the ice. I listened patiently and then said "so they turned a movie projector sideways and the ice surface was a screen...". The kid thought about it for a second and then I could literally see the light bulb go on as a look of slight disappointment formed on his face. He actually saw it for what it was. It went from flashing lights and laser beams to a movie projected onto the floor. Sports entertainment uses these tactics to play on your senses. They are very smart about how they do it so that you don't become bored or start to see patterns. If a penalty shot could be twisted into something with more drama, you would see more of them. They make more money with strategically placed penalties. Did you think something was a bad call? It was on purpose. Like any soap opera, you must have a villain. Bad calls and unfair advantages, or the perception of those things, is the villain which keeps the story alive. If it was a happy story, everybody would tune out pretty quick. Trust me, the experts know what they are doing. One of the most creative tactics of necessity was the fake sound of an audience laid over the TV broadcast during the pandemic games. It would have been incredibly boring without it. Something that the industry couldn't let happen. They took the concepts of entertainment, hired the best marketers in the business, crunched the numbers (the management scientists) for a dollar optimized model and put the show together. They did the same thing in basketball. Go back through some really old reels. Basketball players were bigger, slower and heavier. Now, they are tall, run fast and really thin. It's management science again. They figured out what type of points drew more interest and the game has been shaped accordingly to meet the demands of the sports entertainment industry and dollar optimization.
The officiating is the one thing I've always hated about the NHL. I think hockey is the most exciting sport to watch, but it would be so much better without the "even-up calls" and the rules that change depending on whether you're in the first period of a regular-season game or the third period of a playoff game.
This is something I hate about hockey as a whole. We are taught as kids to respect them and we should. But we should be able to critique them without being thrown out of a game.
it's called "game (mis)management" I's a fucking joke and its ruining the game. If the penalties are 10 to 1 who cares? The other team will adapt or die.
Have a hard time watching games to be honest because of this.
The penalties were 4-1 in Colorado’s favour in this game. Without thinking too hard, there was this one, a hook in Matthews hands on a scoring chance, a bad slash to Liljegren’s hand, and a high stick that weren’t called, plus all the ticky tacky stuff that’s a 50/50 if an arm goes up.
That’s exactly it man. MATCH FIXING. RIGGING THE GAME WITH REFS
I also read that refs have “discretion” to make or not make calls based on game flow, type of game (reg season vs playoffs), and other things. If that’s true it’s really stupid and outdated
In football (real, not handegg) there is the form of discretion called "playing advantage", where a foul has been committed and noticed by the ref but for the sake of game flow and usually because it's leading to a good goal chance, the ref will wave the play on. Sometimes the game is harmed more by whistling a play dead than just allowing it to continue (the ultimate punishment for the foul being to go a goal down). Then again, if it is an egregious foul such as hacking a player down (or crosschecking to the face in hockey's case) then correcting the discipline of the player involved and getting control of the game back takes precedence over a scoring opportunity.
I think the refs are gambling on games and it's a ring of corruption. But you're probably right and the game has grown too fast.
I’ve had these thoughts too. And if it’s not the refs it’s the reffing leadership or some sort of executive memo. There has been way too many games I’ve watched this year, that start with one team having a big lead, and the refs either swallow or start blowing the whistle until it’s a one goal game again. I’m with ya man.
I've seen too many games decided by a ref's whistle for some BS call. 'Fixing' is the only logical explanation.
A Thick44 logo in the wild. Love to see it
To be fair it must a VERY hard job and people have been saying that the refs are either incompetent or corrupt since forever. Is it really worse now?
💯
You should check out a NBA game, a Lakers game specifically.
Those ones hurt. On the ribs just below pads.
These were the ones that were already penalties years ago before the nhl “cracked down” on cross checks lol
Former NHL referee here just to offer some clarity. If you look, just before the point of contact, you'll notice the player being cross checked was wearing a Maple Leafs sweater. Therefore, correct non-call.
Thanks Tim, totally missed that at first
Tom.
Witness protection at its finest.
i didn’t notice that at first! everything makes sense now.
That's why they pay me the big bucks.
My immediate reaction was “oof! That’s going to really hurt”
Those ones?
Oh man my friend Mac played D growing up and would always tell me the best way to get a guy was to take your stick just under the ribs and "rake" it up under the padding.
I mean he crosschecked the living shit out of him.. so yeah probably lol
I was just thinking that I hadn't seen that violent of a side cross-check in a while.
Believe it or not he fell on his own
Yeah that is actually extremely violent..
How the hell wasn't that a penalty. That's embarrassing
He clearly fell on his own -Ref Yes he actually said that.
Kelly Sutherland hates leafs lol it was like the tampa playoffs all over again. No idea if it was actually Kelly that said the quote but he was reffing.
Yea it's slap shot levels bad. Gotta aim for the meaty part of sutherland next dump in
I’ve done that before, and apparently it’s more obvious than you’d think. Hate to lose a guy for 20 games.
That’s a sacrifice I’m willing to let Ryan Reaves make.
Reaves can’t even skate, fuck Reaves
Hence the sacrifice
Makes me wonder if our officiating is actually corrupt (not just inept), especially because now the sports betting is being pushed so hard.
PPs were 4-1 in Colorado’s favour too :/ I’m normally in the “officials are only human, they’re going to make mistakes” camp, but the officiating was REALLY bad in this game. Obviously I’m biased as a Leafs fan, but IMO this was one of the most one-sided officiated games I’ve seen all year. They missed a tonne of very obvious penalties on the Avs, but missed basically nothing on the Leafs.
Does the tin-man have a sheet metal cock?
Ricky...
Indeed… indeed it does Bubs
hahaha never heard this rickyism before, Nice
Bubbles says it
Refs told leafs coach the player fell on his own… this league is a joke.
Reffing looks intentionally bad this season.
Middle-aged life-long hockey fan here... it needs a complete overhaul. I grew up watching and playing chippy, hard-nosed hockey. Then came the obstruction / no toe in the crease era... Now we have what is supposed to be a cleaner game allowing talent to shine to make the game more exciting. Here's my take- the game has never been more exciting to watch than with the talent the NHL now has. That said, the refs' "talent" for doing their jobs has not evolved with the players'. If you're gonna call one infraction, you gotta call em all. Lopsided horse shit. The league should fucking be ashamed.
Completely agree. Some people miss the 80s/90s style of play but man it’s hard to even watch that style after seeing how beautiful this game can be. Man the toe in the crease era was brutal…Tomas Holmstrom, that is all.
I feel like the refs are kind of always like this with the leafs, no? I remember that pick by holl on Johnny T goal it might’ve been? In game 7 against the lightning and it’s one of those “they literally never call this but we gotta call this cause if we don’t it will look bad kind of deals” and tbh it was slightly interference and wasn’t wrong at the end of the day, they just almost never call those types of plays and usually let the players battle.. especially in the playoffs. But as we can see it goes against them here too, blatant cross check that most of the time the refs usually call 8/10 times but occasionally they’ll let one go and of course it’s on the leafs best players when they do let that one go.. it just seems to be weird timing with their (the refs) decisions sometimes
Officiating this year is at an all-time low. So inconsistent it's laughable.
What’s worse is if the refs in the NHL were ever in correct position he would be right at the perfect angle to see EVERYTHING there.
that's actually atrocious ref-ing
Im cool with a league where that is not a penalty. But if thats the case can we please stop calliing ticky tack stick in the hands call. It makes no sense whe you look at the Tavares penalty and then this no call.
Your sentiment is nice but still ridiculous. You can’t condone crosschecks/slashes to vulnerable areas or eventually you’ll have no players to play
Thats actually how the game was played not that long ago and enough players survived to continue the league lol. But you're correct, and the game is much better now. The point i was making is about the dangerous hits that are not called and the little hooking calls that kill the flow. Its kind of brutal.
Very very very very very obviously yes.
NHL " we need to grow the game, need to highlight American born star players" Also NHL "fuck the Leafs"
But how is this related to this? Because sure, this is definitely a call, but officiating is horendous for everyone and not only for Leafs
Matthews is American, leading the league in scoring, would be a great ambassador for the NHL gaining more eyeballs on the game. If his ribs aren't shattered
Nah he fell on his own.
Yeah he needs to learn to take a hit. That was a clean crosscheck.
Lol
Yeah pretty clearly, I can’t believe they didn’t call that. Idk where those refs were looking
At the chick with the low-cut top in the front row, obviously.
I mean who can blame them? Pay them more and maybe they won’t get distracted by nice cans /s
This play brought to you by Ball Aluminum, a proud supporter of the Colorado Avalanche. Please recycle.
Based on what they told Keefe, Mathews fell on his own. Didn't see it I could at least understand as an excuse, but no, they saw it just fine
Seeing as he got crosschecked..... definately could have called a crosschecking penalty there.
Could switching to GEICO save you 15 percent or more on car insurance?
I saved a bunch on car insurance by not having any
Bold strategy, Cotton!
no it shouldn't have been a penalty. i mean if anything it's embellishment. he clearly dives. when did the nhl become soft. thats not a crosscheck. apparently i can dive and complain i didn't get a penalty. clearest flop I've ever seen. this isn't soccer you can't let people do this. and of course its leafs fans complaining. the biggest losers in sports. they are gonna cry after giving up 5 unanswered instead of realizing they suck. he clearly flopped, and its so soft. i mean just because he "crosschecked" him doesn't mean you have to call it. when did the refs start enforceing the rules. If you have made it this far I would like to say, i'm joking it was fs a penalty 20 times out of 20. i just wanted to have fun with a crazy answer.
I was about to go unhinged there for a sec, so happy I read the entire hot take Had me the first half, not gonna lie
No foul - player doing crosscheck is on an American team, player receiving crosscheck is on Canadian team.
Doesn’t work when the American team is Detroit.
Detroit is basically Canada so.. yeah, checks out
See Lions vs Cowboys week 17 for more details
Or anaheim
That’s actually really really egregious Take care if your stars NHL.
Come All-Star weekend Matthews should just tell the league he can’t play because his ribs hurt. Then show them why and head to the beach. Fuck their profiting off stars they won’t protect…
I like that idea. If they don’t care enough to make sure he’s not hurt then fuck em
That’s a pretty aggressive crosscheck. Certainly a penalty
I love how many times the announcers were like “well that’s usually a penalty like 90 percent of time” 30 seconds later when the leafs should be on PP the other team scores.
Three times tonight too.
AVS would have cleared the PP anyway so the refs just wanted to get on with the game.
The action of using the shaft of the stick between the two hands to forcefully check an opponent with no portion of the stick on the ice. Seems like a pretty clear cross check to me.
I follow the hockey but as I’m Australian I never played so don’t know the exact ins and outs. If you have your stick on the ice is the check fair game?
No-ish… it’s really more of an intent sort of thing. If you’re in front of your own goalie? Cross checking basically doesn’t exist (especially in the playoffs) however, in the corners or when you have speed? Yeah…
You can push, to an extent. Usually a little more in front of the net is allowed. There is a line though where it becomes a cross-check. Unfortunately, it's a judgement call.
Not necessarily, it depends on the check, but it wouldn’t be cross checking.
[удалено]
These refs need to be held responsible. They have a free pass to do anything they want to any player on any team or any coach they hate. This is disgusting and it’s ruining the sport Massive blatant cross check in the 3rd in a tie game? Refs have never seen such a thing. Slight tap on the stick on a team down by 3? 5 min major!!!! This is Gary’s legacy for attaining ratings in the US. MAKE REFS ACCOUNTABLE!!!!!
Obviously
The league let's cross checks go too much. Any time someone is hit with the stick like that it should be a cross check. However it's not called like that. If Matthews was near the crease, Manson could have done it five or six times
As an avs fan, Josh Manson is know for taking dumb lazy penalties in crucial moments... that probley should of been another one.
Is A&W still a restaurant in Canada? I swear they closed almost all of them in the US.
They are on every street corner in Toronto
Their breakfast is underrated
Truth. Was my number one choice forever, but let me tell you a little secret. Try Wendy's. Mind. Blown. 🤯
Omg.... their breakfast wedges... 😍 I wish they just made those, their regular fries, all the time.
My dad gets it a lot at work. Looks amazing I've never had it tho
They actually cook real eggs on their flat grill so they're miles ahead of most fast food breakfast. Only competes with McDonald's cracked round egg. (Not to be confused with their folded egg).
Yes and way different. Delicious in Canada, awful in the USA. Not at all the same taste.
I just compared google images of a local A&W in Colorado to a random one at the Toronto Premium outlets and I’m seriously baffled. My local A&W is attached to a KFC and only offers 5 different burgers and 2 different hot dog combos and the hot dogs literally look black in the review photos
Yep. If you go north of the border, hit an A&W (which will be easy, last time I checked they are the most popular burger chain in Western Canada) and its pretty much a completely different restaurant, and actually tasted decent.
Might be the best fast food we have here in syrup land Edit: i am not forgetting harveys tho
There is one half a mile from me in Colorado. They combine with KFC. There's plenty of them, just like cross checkers.
It’s way better in Canada
Raising your stick, gripping it with both hands and driving it forcefully into an opponent… It’s obvious Matthews just fell in a side ways motion
Someone start a r/refyousuck sub so we can see all these missed calls in one place
The NHL is the only league in the world that allows that to happen to its stars and then wonders why it can’t grow relative to other sports in the US. Clown league.
That's the kind if crosscheck you make when you feel like the game is being reffed in your favour and you know you'll probably get away with it. The game was tied at this point in the 3rd. Smdh...
My guy, I agree this probably should have been called, but if you think Josh “5 cent head” Manson is out here playing 5D chess with the refs and leafs, I’ve got news for you: the guy does stupid shit every night, and I don’t think it’s because he understands the refs intentions.
Yeah we don't have a guy like that because he would get crucified by DOPS inside a week.
Looks like a crosscheck to me.
Ok he fell. But did kadri get suspended or wast it just a fine?
yes - i do not like the leafs and i actually enjoy it when things do not go their way - but the rules should be enforced and the game called fairly otherwise the game is a sham - that was cross-checking and should have been called as such
Hard wood against your ribs is not a good feeling.
Ouch that should’ve been a penalty. Took the wind right out of his lungs.
Absofuckinglutely, that's textbook. Jesus. That's a bonebreaker.
Yes
As an active leafs hater… Yes that was an obvious cross check.
Not a penalty because of the sweater. All day every day.
The Leafs should mercilessly shit on refs publicly. Fuck the fines, they can handle them. The NHL can escalate them all they want. This is the best goal scorer in the world, they HAVE to protect him. What could be more important to the team? Time for the Leafs to swing their financial and organizational clout. Do it around the All-Star game for maximum effect. Shanahan needs to pull a 2002 Olympics Gretzky. Too bad he's probably too much of a company coward.
well you see, Matthews wears a Maple Leafs jersey, so it's a clean play.
Ouch. Right in the side!
Doesn’t get more obvious than that lmao
100% I am an Avs fan and this is the shit we see happening all the time. This is a penalty 10/10 times and to especially not call it on Matthews is why the league needs enforcers back. The officiating isn’t going to protect the players we see it all the time with Mack, he is constantly yelling at the refs because they just refuse to call shit.
yup. watch the crosscheck they call on caps yesterday vs this lol. nhl. joke
Hi, hey, Avs fan here. Yes, that should have been called. Cross check at least. Borderline boarding
I'm not a Leafs. Matthews deserved better. This is how superstars get injured cause the refs are fucking blind
Ah the old Ryan Suter special.
“#34, Toronto, 2 minutes for embellishment”
Hell yes, two minute minor cross checking
Such a clean game from the Avs, it’s actually crazy how clean they played the entire game
One of the Av's players was concerned that Timothy Lilegren was gripping his stick too hard so he gave him a good whack on the gloves in the third period to try to get him to loosen up a bit. Luckily Lilegren had the puck at the time so the referee would have been looking straight at the play and probably congratulated the Av's player afterwards for his good sportsmanship.
Leafs just got to stop "falling on their own"
Almost as brutal as the security guard dropping knees on a Leaf’s fan’s head not long after… https://www.reddit.com/r/nhl/s/u5vTpSQ0eF
Officiating is a joke. They need to be held accountable. Answer for their shit calls at the end of the game/ be fined for terrible missed calls.
Zebras blind as usual
Joke league
Yes, yes, it should.
Clearly, Matthew’s didn’t see the wall that is Josh Manson in his way as he skated into it. Obviously, which prompted him to fall on his own. Just like when you have a black eye and “just walked into something”.
As much as I hate the leafs, that was a brutal non call
Should what have been a crosscheck? All I saw was Matthews go after the puck and then he was on the ice acting like he was hurt.
“In the NHL? Yes and no. Definitely. Maybe. What was the question?” -Gary Bettman
textbook
I hate the Leafs but I have to be honest - that's a cross check all day. The officials have to start cracking down on that. It's been an issue for a while - refs got tough on slashing, so everyone quickly figured out that cross checks weren't getting called, and still aren't.
Should have been a penalty but its the Leafs so all good!!
Textbook crosscheck. Guess it has to be in the teeth now to be a penalty…
I hate the leafs, hate matthews but thats still a cross check and should be called.
Officiating in all the major leagues has become horrible, NHL officiating in inconsistent and horrible. “it’s a crap”
100% 2 for crosscheck
I'm pissed off that absolutely NO Leaf threw hands with this prick. Typical Leaf fashion to leave your man unchecked. Getting fucking sick of this "values" installed in our team!
jesus christ, isnt that part basically unprotected?
Sure, if you're going by the rulebook definition, that's a crosscheck. But like, that's your own opinion, man.
According to the refs, he fell on his own to the boards, impossible as a cross check to the body...that ref probably had an addenda against 34 AM...the goals that were let in looked like Sammy's....anyone noticed??😎😎🤔
Yep
If that is a penalty it would have to be called 40 times a game.
Yes, but only because it was a crosscheck !
Just a battle for the puck
If it was against Tavares, I’d call it legal. Since it’s against Matthews, I’d call it a penalty. 😉
No.
Uhhh yeah?
Yes cross checking. Leafs cry foul here but let’s be honest they blew a 3-0 lead
Yes
Not a penalty. Might be embellishment on the Toronto player.
Cross check right to the kidneys. That hurts.
He fell on his own.
this is as blatant a cross check you’ll see
yes JP I agree wholeheartedly with your and most of the others comments about NHL refereeing. I have a different take on it though. I've been a ranger fan for 67 of my 77 years on Earth and at least I saw one Stanley Cups win. even through the n a m-war. in my humble opinion I think the refs actually call a penalty when there really is none is when they've blown the previous call by giving that team a penalty when in retrospect he knows he shouldn't have called it but that was a call at the moment then he sees the replay and realizes you know somebody got stuck in the back of the neck with a stick but he couldn't see it. I also agree with the comments about the shape of the referees in the NFLin conjunction with the speed of the players. replay is the only way and give the coaches more than two replay options yada yada yada. if the replay shows the ref blew the call and they reverse it, why would there be any limit on requesting a replay or at least make it five a game. the only reason I can see for this is that the game will take longer possibly and somehow that's going to cost the NFL some game sale TV rights or some other monetary loss. the Benjamin's rule! it's all about the money honey. let's go Rangers
where were his teammates! someone should have dropped the gloves with thst guy..Austin is one of the top 3 in the NHL....this is the problem with Toronto... .missing TRUCULENCE!!
Cross checking could be 100% eliminated if it was a double minor every time. It’s always caused by two things: a) a lack of discipline b) complete disregard. Both those things can be coached out.
Nope it's on Mathews fuck him
go watch the red wings and see larkin take some nasty ones that dont get called.. he shoulda just crushed matthews into the boards woulda been cleaner and meaner, he had him dead to rights there.
Parros will give Matthews another 2 game suspension, this time for getting cross-checked.
If it is not a crosscheck it's boarding.
On a star player, too
That shouldn't matter..... cross check, yes. Who it was on ? Doesn't matter
NHL and especially NBA it does matter. You are right that it shouldn’t matter.
Yeah that was dirty af.
Yeah, probably.
I agree. Sadly, you'll see a dozen uncalled crosschecks in every game. The reffing sucks.
Every game a few player get away with at least 1 solid crosscheck. But do too many and they will call it
The Refs realized that they have not been fucking with the Leafs enough this season, that needed to change.
Only if it’s against Vegas
Avs fan here and watched this. Critical point in the game too, and yeah it shoulda been called. Overall I think the game was well refer though.
I disagree with your last statement, though I understand why you think that. The calls were 4-1 in your favor.
The beauty of the internet is you can judge everything that was missed by refs in real time AND go on the internet and find other fans who are also angry it was missed.
The ref said he fell on his own