Being a ref is a thankless job. There is no denying it. Here are people who strive to not be noticed. The reason is, if you’re noticed you probably did a bad job. The best compliment a ref can get is for “letting them play.” Which essentially means they didn’t do anything. Good or bad.
What you saw last night was refs getting noticed. They were involved in every Sabre goal. First was the non-call on Trent Hunter getting crosschecked that led to Mair’s goal. Then the disputed wrap-around by Vanek. And finally, the ridiculous six minutes of penalties doled out to Bergeron and Poti that led to the Sabres’ final goal.
That brings us to the bad call on Zednik and they unfathomable call on Robitaille in the last 94 seconds. That was the last straw for the fans, who promptly peppered the ice with debris.
And this is where I will disagree with my friend Mike Casey’s post below. Now, I’m not going to argue that fans should throw things on the ice or at refs or at the Sabres, but their reaction last night was justified.
Fans pay to see the game decided on the ice by the players. I don’t think anyone would argue that is what happened tonight. There is a reason they only sell plastic bottles these days.
If this game was in Philly or Pittsburgh and that happened the arena would be on fire.
NHL refs are graded after each round of the playoffs. I will guarantee that the team of Dennis LaRue, Kevin Pollock, Brad Lazarowich and Derek Nansen don’t advance. They may be the reason the Islanders don’t advance either.
That being said, there is no excuse for being outshot 17-2 in the third period of a one-goal game in your building, which is what happened last night. Nolan practically played one line in the third period (Symth, Sillinger and Hunter). That’s not going to cut it against a team that has Buffalo’s speed.
Some other observations:
What happened to Jason Blake? Maybe it is that playing against the speed of the Sabres' he looks average, but the jump hasn’t been there this series.
Everyone who spent money on anything with Yashin’s name or number should get a refund. As a fan in section 307 pointed out last night “every time he gets hit money falls out.”
Oh where, oh where has Richard Park gone? We need some grit and while Zednik has the experience, he has hardly made a difference
The coliseum atmosphere is as good as any arena when it comes to big time events.
DP is back. Now if they can only find a second line on offense.
Comments (14)
Are you kidding. Justified?
Making a comment like that justifies Casey's description of those fans including you. Would you condone the same if it was Buffalo throwing at the isles? My cousin is a die hard season holder since the came into the league and no matter what the refs called he disagrees with the actions. Give up on the stupid ice girls.They have no place except for cheap thrills and the whole incident was a leaky roof not spit moron
The fans, you included, are even more proof that the Islanders organization is a top to bottom travesty. When are you, Nolan and that going to start holding yourselves accountable instead of blaming things on everyone else.
your a whiny idiot, mair's hit was clean as they come and vanek's goal was clearly in. As for the penalties, it was just a clear indication that your boys are too slow for our quick forwards. Oh and one more thing, blame the refs all you want, but what it really came down to was the islanders getting outshot 17-2 in the third period down one goal in a crucial playoff game.
P.S. Yashin is lame
Finally...someone who understands the referee's suck! Hopefully the Islanders use this as momentum and pull off a BIG WIN ON WEDNESDAY!
How can you argue that fans shouldn't throw things on the ice or at refs, but then say that their reaction last night was justified? Contradict yourself much?
This has nothing to do with Islanders fans, Sabres fans or the referees, and has everything to do with someone possibly getting hurt.
Perhaps if your wife or child was pelted with a beer bottle last night, you'd be singing a different tune.
As Eminem once said:
"Er...he didn't really say what I think he did. Did he?"
How old are you man, 12? Do you make a habit out of condoning criminal behavior? Did Ryan Hollweg give you a made-up concussion before you wrote this? I hope you have your Satan T-shirt handy to wipe away your tears after Game 5.
Yeah and Tucker's hit on Peca, that was a clean hit, too. Good non-call there. Even after being "reviewed" by the league office. Whatever. There's a little too much history of garbage going on here.
I can't condone chucking stuff on the ice, but when you hose a team down in the final minute with a god-awful call on the home team only seconds after a god-awful non-call on the visitors, especially after all the other calls they pushed the sabres way, you better be wearing a helmet. AT LEAST they should have called the hook on campoli as he broke into the zone, nobody can argue that. If you have a problem with it, look at a tape and freeze it right where the blade of the stick is in his gut. If they did, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Refs got (less than) what they deserved. Fact, and end of story.
You were outshot 17-2 in the third period. That's just pathetic for a home playoff game trailing by one goal after scoring at the end of the preceding period. No excuses. Deal with it. You're going down.
I am stunned by your comments. Condoning behavior such as witnessed last night at a sporting event is enough to remove you from your job. If you were a teacher or member of the police force, you would have been suspended this morning. You would do wise to apologize. I can't believe what I just read...
This post is dead on correct. The rest of you hypocrites don't let the door hit you on the way out. You don't have to be a philosophy professor to know he's not "contradicting himself much" ALAN. Fans shouldn't just throw trash on the ice because they feel like it. BUT WHEN AN ABSOLUTE CLEAR AS DAY UNQUESTIONABLE BIASED EVENING OF OFFICIATING BLOWS YOUR TEAM OUT OF THE GAME, I would EXPECT to see passionate fans boil over. You rag fans that love trolling this board especially should bite your tongues. You all would've done the same thing. Just like Pittsburgh, just like Philly, you KNOW Montreal would... the list can go on. All of you self-righteous bastids take a walk. You're not fooling anyone. Flap your gums to someone who will buy your line of crap.
Is Danny B in Georgia a bit bitter about the Thrashers? There is no excuse for throwing things on the ice, period!! And that goes for us Ranger fans as well as anyone else. "BUT WHEN AN ABSOLUTE CLEAR AS DAY UNQUESTIONABLE BIASED EVENING OF OFFICIATING BLOWS YOUR TEAM OUT OF THE GAME...." Huh? Your team was blown out of the game by being outshot 17-2 in the third period.
You Islander fans want attention? You got it in the NY Times today, in which George Vecsey calls you "two-armed cretins." That's an apt description for anyone who throws bottles, some of which were apparently glass, on the ice, as well as for any freaking morons like yourselves that would POSSIBLY defend it! Get a freaking life!!!!
I love how buffalo and rags fans have to vent their hatred towards the islanders by bashing a well-written respectful and correct article by Mr. McCarthy, unlike the one written by Mr. Casey. Keep wasting your time trying to prove that islanders fans were wrong in displaying their frustration. The ref's did not help the game, being out shot 17-2 did not help the game, but maybe with few different breaks, the third period would have been different. We did dominate the rest of the game. Anyone who watched the game knows that.
CALL THE WAHMBULANCE!!!!
What is 4th grade? We as players need to be accountable.....so do the fans...what a horrible classless display the other night...from the shouting during the moment of silence to the beer bottle throwing...I was almost hit with one too.....COMPLETELY unacceptable
this is a HORRIBLE BLOG