The Playoff Scoreboard

[5mn_Major]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

The rodent jumped up and got both her skates off the ice at the same time, then fell on her butt. That's a 4.8 for the diving team.

The Steffen penalty the rodent had awfully weak legs on that one. I didn't think Steffen was that strong.

If you didn't know better, either one of those comments by themself might have a chance of being correct. Together they show an unfortunately high (that is to say neck) position in manure.

[Timothy A]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

If you didn't know better, either one of those comments by themself might have a chance of being correct. Together they show an unfortunately high (that is to say neck) position in manure.

While my head is still above the pile I will say that I get the call on Steffen. The other call no way.

[Still Eeyore]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

The rodent jumped up and got both her skates off the ice at the same time, then fell on her butt. That's a 4.8 for the diving team.

Even if true, this is irrelevant to the call that was made, which was interference. Once the attacking player chips the puck and moves to go around the defender, it is illegal to move laterally to impede their progress. Whether they leave their skates or the defender knocks them down doesn't matter; it's the obstruction that is the penalty. Wisconsin fans can be forgiven for having no idea what the interference rule is, though, because committing it and not getting called is one of the Badgers' core competencies.

As I said, I thought the one that was called was borderline, but there were plenty of examples where a Badger was clearly guilty without a call, so I don't feel any sympathy for them.

[Still Eeyore]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

I bet it looked worse live than on "TV". She really didn't check as much as hold, If fact, "holding' was the call. Try to find it on video and see if you don't change your mind. Definitely a 2, but not a 5.

Let's just say that, given your stated beliefs about Abby Roque, I don't trust your judgment on this.

[KTDC]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

E Wisconsin fans can be forgiven for having no idea what the interference rule is, though, because committing it and not getting called is one of the Badgers' core competencies.

As I said, I thought the one that was called was borderline, but there were plenty of examples where a Badger was clearly guilty without a call, so I don't feel any sympathy for them.

One of the truest things you have said on this site. It is foundational to their game.

[robertearle]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

Let's just say that, given your stated beliefs about Abby Roque, I don't trust your judgment on this.

Of Course. That's why I said see if you can find it on video, and have a look for yourself.

[D2D]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

If anyone who posts here besides me regularly sees college men's games they will know that those referees do a much better job of protecting players from serious injury than what you see in the women's game (and boy's high school too for that matter). It has become quite common for players to get 5 - and either a game misconduct or a game DQ - for checking from behind resulting in a player going head first into the boards. In this case I was standing close to right above where the hit happened, and I immediately thought that a major was very possible, although not assured because it wasn't an intentional hard hit. I was OK with the call for that reason (although I don't think the timing of the call late in a close game should have any bearing on it). But I always HATE witnessing those types of plays, no matter which teams are playing, because those types of infractions can result in a lifelong, very serious injury for the player getting hit.

[Blackbeard]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

If anyone who posts here besides me regularly sees college men's games they will know that those referees do a much better job of protecting players from serious injury than what you see in the women's game (and boy's high school too for that matter). It has become quite common for players to get 5 - and either a game misconduct or a game DQ - for checking from behind resulting in a player going head first into the boards. In this case I was standing close to right above where the hit happened, and I immediately thought that a major was very possible, although not assured because it wasn't an intentional hard hit. I was OK with the call for that reason (although I don't think the timing of the call late in a close game should have any bearing on it). But I always HATE witnessing those types of plays, no matter which teams are playing, because those types of infractions can result in a lifelong, very serious injury for the player getting hit.

My nephew played hockey from a very young age through high school. During a high school game (I wasn't there, my brother in law filled me in) my brother in law saw the other team's coach tap a rough player on that team who was on the bench and pointed to my nephew who was on the ice and nodded at the kid as if to confirm that the player understood the unspoken instruction. The kid, armed with a green light from his coach...and worse, probably feeling somewhat special for being singled out by the coach for this testosterone pumping assignment, jumped over the boards onto the ice and skated, from behind, straight toward my nephew who didn't even have the puck but who was facing the boards.

The kid on the assignment blindsided my nephew driving him head first into the boards.

The next scene was in the hospital emergency ward shortly thereafter. I don't recall all the specifics but my nephew had suffered at least one broken/crushed vertebrae (might have been more) in his neck and it was an extremely serious, complicated and delicate surgery with the head surgeon telling my sister and brother in law that the odds of a great result were not high. With that caution they sat in the waiting room for I think it was 6-8 hours going through mind numbing interminable agony that only a parent can really understand...endlessly contemplating all the possibilities for their son.

The plan was to remove a piece of bone from my nephew's leg and to use it to "fashion" a vertebrae or two to replace the damaged one(s) in his neck. Think about the surgeon's doing all this without damaging the ultra delicate superhighway of nerves that runs through the spinal column. But, again, the odds weren't great for success. What exactly did the alternative mean? I don't know.

Late that night, after a multi hour wait in which every minute seemed like hell, the exhausted looking surgeon walked into the waiting room toward my sister and brother in law, not looking like the bearer of good news.

He looked at my brother in law and said "if I were you I wouldn't waste any time ever buying lottery tickets again...tonight, you just won the lottery."

Apparently, the surgery could not have turned out any better.

The downside...my nephew lot 30% in his range of motion to one side (he can't turn his head all the way on one side).

I had a number of conversations afterwards with my brother in law about a law suit that they were pursuing against the other kid and his parents...it went on for several years as I remember...and then fizzled out.

All this pain, suffering, anguish, stress and money because of a brain dead coach and a kid eager to please who might have had a greater than normal propensity to accomplish said task.

A decision made, instructions given and the task engaged in and completed, all in just a handful of seconds.

And the quality of life for one person altered forever...with lots of collateral damage.

All of it completely avoidable.

[Still Eeyore]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

I bet it looked worse live than on "TV". She really didn't check as much as hold, If fact, "holding' was the call. Try to find it on video and see if you don't change your mind. Definitely a 2, but not a 5.

I've watched the video, and you're absolutely wrong. I don't see any holding at all, just a pure checking from behind. Steffen puts her hands on Skaja's hips and drives her into the boards head first. This was the sort of call that not only could be made, but must be made if those running the WCHA want us to believe that they really put player safety first.

Unlike D2D, I don't especially care about Steffen's intent. I'm not trying to judge her as a human being. Whether she intended what happened or was just very careless, the effect was a very dangerous hit.

[robertearle]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

I've watched the video, and you're absolutely wrong. I don't see any holding at all, just a pure checking from behind. Steffen puts her hands on Skaja's hips and drives her into the boards head first. This was the sort of call that not only could be made, but must be made if those running the WCHA want us to believe that they really put player safety first.

Unlike D2D, I don't especially care about Steffen's intent. I'm not trying to judge her as a human being. Whether she intended what happened or was just very careless, the effect was a very dangerous hit.

Well, the call was "holding", so I can't be all that wrong.

[ARM]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

Well, the call was "holding", so I can't be all that wrong.

Live, I thought that you were wrong. After seeing the video, I agree with you.

[Still Eeyore]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

Well, the call was "holding", so I can't be all that wrong.

Well, you can't be any more wrong than Ludwig and Kaehler were, but that's a low bar.

[ChickHicks86]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

If anyone who posts here besides me regularly sees college men's games they will know that those referees do a much better job of protecting players from serious injury than what you see in the women's game (and boy's high school too for that matter). It has become quite common for players to get 5 - and either a game misconduct or a game DQ - for checking from behind resulting in a player going head first into the boards. In this case I was standing close to right above where the hit happened, and I immediately thought that a major was very possible, although not assured because it wasn't an intentional hard hit. I was OK with the call for that reason (although I don't think the timing of the call late in a close game should have any bearing on it). But I always HATE witnessing those types of plays, no matter which teams are playing, because those types of infractions can result in a lifelong, very serious injury for the player getting hit.

I had a poor angle in person for the Steffen/Skaja collision, so I won't even attempt to say with any certainty what happened / what should have been called. However, I think that fact that it happened at all points out a reality of officiating high level hockey (and really any sport for that matter). If only minimal calls are made early in the game, the physicality will naturally increase as the game goes on, especially when two very evenly matched teams are looking for every little advantage. I'm not an advocate of calling every single hook or having the slightest bit of contact be 2 minutes, but making a few textbook calls early in the game lets the players know that the refs are watching, and good players adjust their game accordingly. A little preventative officiating early in the game goes a long way toward discouraging the type of aggressive plays that put both players and officials in tough situations late in the 3rd period.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: The Playoff Scoreboard

I had a poor angle in person for the Steffen/Skaja collision, so I won't even attempt to say with any certainty what happened / what should have been called. However, I think that fact that it happened at all points out a reality of officiating high level hockey (and really any sport for that matter). If only minimal calls are made early in the game, the physicality will naturally increase as the game goes on, especially when two very evenly matched teams are looking for every little advantage. I'm not an advocate of calling every single hook or having the slightest bit of contact be 2 minutes, but making a few textbook calls early in the game lets the players know that the refs are watching, and good players adjust their game accordingly. A little preventative officiating early in the game goes a long way toward discouraging the type of aggressive plays that put both players and officials in tough situations late in the 3rd period.

Nicely put.