Hmm. Don't usually have much time for the victim thing, but Astute Colin may be onto something y'know it could be a factor, even an unconscious one. Ref knows Habs got all sorts of media attention, were given the All-Star Game, the Draft -- so Ref thinks "don't let myself give them the game" and overcompensates? Remember when Habs played away over the last year the local broadcasters often aired gushing (Habs-supplied) "Glory of the 100" video clips and even some in-arena stuff was done to honor the team. If a Ref were thought to be favoring the Habs then the opposition fans might imagine there was a grand conspiracy at play. Or maybe we're the ones imagining hehehe.