Day-22 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
INKTIME on RINKTIME Observations and Random thoughts by Chris Madsen:
IF THERE WAS EVER A CASE FOR VIDEO CHALLENGE: With Detroit leading 2-1, I said to my former college roommate, “whoever scores the next goal wins the game.” It was evident to me that the Blackhawks had awakened from their slumber and as soon as Viktor Stalberg juked his way out of the corner, I just knew he was going to throw the puck towards the Red Wings goal.
Here’s the video…give it a look…and then let’s pick up the conversation below:
Before we proceed, kudos to “Puck Daddy” at Yahoo Sports for posting this video.
Now, can anybody explain to me how that could be “Goaltender Interference”? Chicago’s Andrew Shaw was obviously deposited deeper into the crease by Detroit’s Jakub Kindl …and upon further review, goaltender Jimmy Howard misplays a poke-check of Shaw’s stick and that allows the puck to seep in behind him.
My theory is that this was a classic case of Home Ice Advantage, because fans at The Joe were going Ape Guano after Johan Franzen got pasted by the Hawks Niklas Hjalmarsson, lay prone behind the play, and that allowed the Blackhawks to spring Patrick Kane for–what turned out to be–their only goal of the game.
Check it out:
No matter where you side on the call or non-call, the simple fact of the matter is that the Blackhawks were never the same after the apparent Shaw game-tying goal was waived-off.
Both coaches chimed in afterward, with the Red Wings Mike Babcock sticking-up for Franzen: “It should’ve been a two-minute penalty. But this is the way I look at it: Those refs are trying to get to the Stanley Cup Finals, too, and it’s fast. When I go in there and watch the replay, I go, ‘That’s a penalty.’ They don’t get to watch a replay.”
And Chicago’s Joel Quenneville taking the counter-point: “I disagree with the call. He didn’t touch the goalie.”
I’ve laid out the case…the evidence is right in front of you…chime-in in the COMMENT section below–would love to hear your thoughts.
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HURTIN’ HENRIK?
Ranger Goalie Henrik Lundqvist appeared to hurt himself when he extended his left arm to cover the puck late in the in the 3rd Period of Boston’s 5-1 blowout on Sunday. Lundqvist needed some extra time to shake things off, but stayed in the game.
Of even further relief to Ranger fans and his teammates, Henrik was on the ice for the team’s entire practice on Monday: “Everybody is sore. It’s the playoffs; you can’t just sit out if it’s hurting a little bit. It happens and you just have to make sure you maintain and you do the right things to keep it good.”
A Bruins victory at MSG tonight would give them a commanding 3-games-to-none advantage.
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AFLAC ISN’T THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A DUCK ON THE MEND: Versatile Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin underwent successful reconstructive surgery on a ligament in his right knee. Beauchemin posted some impressive numbers for Anaheim this past seasons (6G-18A-24PTS), along with a plus-19 rating.
The 33-year old hopes to return in time for the start of next season.
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UNTIL THE NEXT TIME WE LACE ‘EM UP AND HIT THE ICE!–Chris Madsen
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TONIGHT’S SCHEDULE:
| Boston | at | NY Rangers | 7:30 PM EST | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | at | San Jose | 10:00 PM | ||
Terrible call. I agree w/ Coach Q.
Lame call indeed. And once and for all can the league deal with the sick pathological tradition of throwing sea life carcasses on the ice? It’s inhumane. It’s gross. It delays the game. And the mental patients who swing the things over their heads while removing them from the ice are repulsive.
I was yelling at the TV. Where was the interference? I didn’t see any move by the Hawks player that inhibited Howard from making the save. The puck deflected off his leg and into the net. That changed the momentum of the game, which had swung Chicago’s way. Was that call reviewable? I’m not aware of all the NHL’s rules when it comes to tbis. If so, why didn’t coach Q challenge it? I think it would have been reversed.