I've been saying all along through these 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs that the officiating has been the worst I've ever seen.
Inconsistency has been my biggest complaint and the choices between what should be called and what shouldn't has been atrocious. Missed calls and phantom penalties this playoff season has been the worst I've ever witnessed.
A prime example of this happened in game three of the Detroit / Chicago series last night when Niklas Kronwall was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for finishing one of the nicest and cleanest hits I've seen in a while.
Watch the video below which shows Kronwall laying the shoulder to Martin Havlat of the Blackhawks. It's clear that the puck was between his legs, he was bent over and lookng the wrong way as he came together with Kronwall. It's unfortunate that Havlat was knocked unconcious but that is not a reason to penalize a great hockey check.
Now I don't have an official rulebook to look at but the only argument to be made might be that Havlat hadn't actually touched the puck yet and therefore any contact would be called interference. What are you supposed to do then? Stop skating and wait for him to decide if he wants to touch the puck? If the puck is along the boards and a player is protecting it but hasn't touched the puck, does that mean you can't touch the player to move him off the puck? I think it's fair to assume that if the puck is between your skates, you should be fair game.
Regardless, I think Kronwall had no choice but to hit him and Havlat should have known it was coming. I also think these officials have been spending too much time watching their kids playing Timbits Hockey at their local arenas. This is the NHL and if you don't like the hitting then go judge figure skating.
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