Trying to win a playoff game in Montreal is like trying to win a football game in Oakland during the 70's. Not only do you have to play against a tough ruthless opponent and in front of a loud hostile crowd, but you also have to compete with the officials. This was one reason I didn't hold much hope for a Bruins comeback after they fell down 2 games to none, but somehow they pulled it off. Of course winning games three and four to even the series is much different then winning game six to eliminate the Canadians. There was no way the refs were going to allow that to happen, so back to Boston we go with one last chance to knock our hated enemy off.
I'm not sure I've seen a worse officiated playoff game, or at least one that was so one sided. All that heart and grit that I have been lauding in the Bruins tends to bite you in the ass when it comes to getting calls. Instead of throwing their hands in the air and falling to the ice like they've been shot when struck in the face with a stick, the Bruins just slightly recoiled and then kept skating. I guess NHL refs don't reward such play because every time a Canadian fell to the ice there was a penalty and every time the same thing happened to the Bruins, but they fought through it, there was nothing. Patrice Bergeron barely grazes Carey Price who collapses like a KOed boxer and it's a two minute penalty. Brian Gionta leaps through the air Superman style cross checking Tim Thomas square in the chest and it doesn't even stop play. Kelly clips a Canadian with his stick in the final 3 minutes of the game and it's a penalty but when a Canadian clubs Andrew Ference across the face nothing.
The worse call of the night and the one that put the game squarely in Montreal's hands was the 5 minute major and game misconduct given to Lucic. I know I have been very vocal about the NHL and it's officials being harder on reckless and dangerous hits, but this was neither. Lucic didn't hit him high, he didn't charge and the only reason he hit him in the back was because when the Canadian felt the hit coming he turned away. As this as an example, I can only imagine that every player will start turning their back to hits, fall to the ice and wait for the trainer to carry them off the ice. The can be cleared for their next shift and the opposing player will at least have a 5 minute major. Not only did this call leave the Bruins shorthanded for what would become the game winning goal, it also left them short a forward for the rest of the game, causing them to shorten the bench and play without one of their biggest offensive threats. There wasn't much more the refs could have done within the rules of the game to give the game to Montreal.
What I'm asking for is not more penalties to have been called on Montreal, but less on the Bruins. The Bruin's powerplay in so inept at this point the opposing team has a better advantage shorthanded then even strength. I'm not sure what the answer is, but in the B's have any hopes of making a run at the cup Julian better figure something out fast.
The fact of the matter was, five on five the Bruins were the better team last night and should have knocked the Canadians out. The only time Montreal was able to put any pressure on Thomas was when they were on 5 on 3's. I hate to see games decided by the refs, especially this time of year, but I'm not sure what else to think about this game. It seemed pretty clear right from the get go that Montreal was going to be allowed to mug the Bruins at every turn while Boston was going to have to be careful. Unfortunately they gave the refs enough rope to hang them with. Let's hope tonight is a different story.
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