GDT: Game 6, Montreal vs Washington

[JoeLassister]

The problem I have with the call on the first hit is that it opens the door to any "not obvious" calls they want to make now. Everytime a player will turn his back while getting nailed and fall on the ice will result in a diving call ?? Where is this limit ?? The limit of wich ref ? the one near or the one in the middle of the ice ??

The good call was to let the play go and to warn Lapierre at the break that he was now under the radar for this kind of suspicious play.

[saskhab]

The good call was to let the play go and to warn Lapierre at the break that he was now under the radar for this kind of suspicious play.

You don't think Lapierre has already been warned numerous times by refs that he was on their radar? Lapierre dives. It's part of his game.

A friend of mine said that last night Lapierre got a hat trick of his own: a goal, a dive, and a drawn penalty. That's his game.

[huzer]

I can't believe I'm hearing this about the first call on Laps. So if no penalty was called on the play, would people be saying "Phew, we got away with one there!" Maybe I'm not as astute observer of the game as I thought, since I didn't think this was so blatantly obvious that a non-call on the play would've been a miscarriage of justice.

Edited April 27, 2010 by huzer

[saskhab]

I can't believe I'm hearing this about the first call on Laps. So if no penalty was called on the play, would people be saying "Phew, we got away with one there!" Maybe I'm not as astute observer of the game as I thought, since I didn't think this was so blatantly obvious that a non-call on the play would've been a miscarriage of justice.

Calling a dive takes intiative by a ref. It means you really pissed him off. Not many would have noticed if no call was made, but I think the ref was completely justified in calling that one. It was a ridiculous play by Lapierre. He did it to make a clean shoulder hit look like a boarding penalty. He probably would have got up and yapped at the ref for not calling it boarding. That's why he called it.

[JoeLassister]

You don't think Lapierre has already been warned numerous times by refs that he was on their radar? Lapierre dives. It's part of his game.

A friend of mine said that last night Lapierre got a hat trick of his own: a goal, a dive, and a drawn penalty. That's his game.

First, I don't buy the argument that because a certain player has already been caught diving, he must not deserve the same treatment as any other.

Second, like I said, this diving call was made on a brand new kind of play that we've been used to see (diving resulting from a tripping call). The refs, IMO, just opened a pandora box and could be called out easily if a player of any team get away with the same kind of behavior. Like, was there a call on Kovy when he got slashed, stop playing and ran into Souray a few years ago ?? No. Then why call a penalty to Lapierre on such a play ? This is a nonsense to me.

Third, off course, it doesn't seem to me either that Green's hit was THAT hard, but who am I to get into Lapierre body's and feel the hit and decide that he is overacting ? At which point does this become a call or a non call for diving ? HUGE grey zone there. A grey zone that could/sould have been avoided by a simple non call and let the play go with Lapierre on the ground and the Habs 4 vs 5, that was enough of a penalty for this kind of play, IMHO.

[huzer]

Initiative is one way to phrase it...

Regardless, it ultimately didn't change the outcome of the game. But the additional 2 "diving" penalties made me doubt the integrity of the refs.

[saskhab]

Diving is illegal. It's in the rule book. If you think every player should get one free pass per game to dive (give them the warning) than you've already opened the Pandora's Box to allow illegal play to rule the game. Lapierre brok a NHL rule. He got a penalty.

Some guys have a reputation for boarding. Some have a reputation for kneeing. Some have a reputation for crashing into goalies. Some have a reputation for diving. It shouldn't be shocked if these guys get called for these penalties.

You're asking the ref to ignore the rulebook. The ref's job is to enforce the rulebook. Again, we get mad at refs when they don't enforce the rulebook. Now you're getting mad when they do.

[huzer]

I'll reiterate, it's the first time I've seen a diving call made that was made on a hit into the boards, and I'm not a young pup. I think everyone can at least agree that contact was made. It's not like Green skated by Laps, made absolutely no contact, and he threw himself into the boards. I guess I just don't see this quite as black and white as others do.

If people are so accepting of this call, then nearly EVERY goalie interference call in existence should include a dive on a goalie. Every single goalie flops down like they got shot when they're barely brushed. Apparently, diving should be called a lot more liberally than it currently is.

[JoeLassister]

I'll reiterate, it's the first time I've seen a diving call made that was made on a hit into the boards, and I'm not a young pup. I think everyone can at least agree that contact was made. It's not like Green skated by Laps, made absolutely no contact, and he threw himself into the boards. I guess I just don't see this quite as black and white as others do.

If people are so accepting of this call, then nearly EVERY goalie interference call in existence should include a dive on a goalie. Every single goalie flops down like they got shot when they're barely brushed. Apparently, diving should be called a lot more liberally than it currently is.

My point exactly. Obviously, Saskhab, you don't like Lapierre. But now, what if a real true tough player like Ovechkin or Chara or Bouillon fall on the ground in a same looking way Lapierre just did. Will he get the call on him ? I bet not. The refs will say "Oh, Chara doesn't dive, the hit might have been hard enough, it's legit."

This, Sir, is bs.

Edited April 27, 2010 by JoeLassister

[rafikz]

BTW, I'm afraid the Caps will take less than 45 shots in game 7

It's the only way they can beat Halak

[dlbalr]

Washington fans are getting a little antsy by the sounds of it, the club actually shut down their message board.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsb...ssage_boar.html

[saskhab]

I'll reiterate, it's the first time I've seen a diving call made that was made on a hit into the boards, and I'm not a young pup. I think everyone can at least agree that contact was made. It's not like Green skated by Laps, made absolutely no contact, and he threw himself into the boards. I guess I just don't see this quite as black and white as others do.

If people are so accepting of this call, then nearly EVERY goalie interference call in existence should include a dive on a goalie. Every single goalie flops down like they got shot when they're barely brushed. Apparently, diving should be called a lot more liberally than it currently is.

Again, Green's hit wasn't illegal. The reason there's a stand alone diving call is because Green did nothing wrong, Lapierre tried to make it look like Green did something wrong.

And you're right on goaltenders. They dive a lot. The refs go easy on them for whatever reason, maybe because they know they should call goalie interference more often, I don't know.

I'm applauding one single enforcement of a rule here, folks. I'm not saying that reffing isn't inconsistent. I'm arguing against the other two supposed dives. The ref obviously lost his cool and started seeing things that weren't there.

As for if a tough guy did it, yeah he should get called. But again, they're obviously looking for Lapierre to do this, because he's known for it. Just as they'll look for Ryan Smyth to bump a goalie, or Matt Cooke to stick out a knee. That's all I'm saying here. It was the correct call against a guy that the refs know will do stuff like that.

[rafikz]

Washington fans are getting a little antsy by the sounds of it, the club actually shut down their message board.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsb...ssage_boar.html

rofl

[Toronthab]

I can't believe I'm hearing this about the first call on Laps. So if no penalty was called on the play, would people be saying "Phew, we got away with one there!" Maybe I'm not as astute observer of the game as I thought, since I didn't think this was so blatantly obvious that a non-call on the play would've been a miscarriage of justice.

It wasn't obvious to me either until he had almost completed his pirrouette and I could just see the blue ribbons of his ballet slippers. The other judges gave him excellent marks for the landing as well.

[Colin]

Washington fans are getting a little antsy by the sounds of it, the club actually shut down their message board.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsb...ssage_boar.html

Sheesh.

Halak was so good, he shut down the message boards.

Well played Jaro. Well played.

[MK1]

Again, Green's hit wasn't illegal. The reason there's a stand alone diving call is because Green did nothing wrong, Lapierre tried to make it look like Green did something wrong.

And you're right on goaltenders. They dive a lot. The refs go easy on them for whatever reason, maybe because they know they should call goalie interference more often, I don't know.

I'm applauding one single enforcement of a rule here, folks. I'm not saying that reffing isn't inconsistent. I'm arguing against the other two supposed dives. The ref obviously lost his cool and started seeing things that weren't there.

As for if a tough guy did it, yeah he should get called. But again, they're obviously looking for Lapierre to do this, because he's known for it. Just as they'll look for Ryan Smyth to bump a goalie, or Matt Cooke to stick out a knee. That's all I'm saying here. It was the correct call against a guy that the refs know will do stuff like that.

Laps was labelled as a diver years ago; this is nothing new, see Alex Burrows or Derek Roy as examples of guys with the exact same game that repeatedly get called on it.

Two things to consider: 1) if he didn't have that goofy smirk on his face after every hit WHILE getting up and looking right at the ref he may actually get some calls, and 2) I've never seen a guy 6'2" and 210lbs pirouette and fall every single time he is within 3ft of an opposing player.

Solid W by the boys last night, although the game plan in game 7 needs to change so they don't allow 50 shots for the 3rd straight game. I love Jaro but everyone comes down to earth sometime. PK looked good too, he should definitely be on the club come September.

[Toronthab]

Nobody ever mentions Hal Gill. He has been fantastic in these playoffs.

GILL,GILL,GILL,GILL GORGES, GORGES GORGES!

These guys broke the back of the Capitals by killing their 5 on 3!

One for THIRTY on the PP

God bless G&G!!!

[SOOPAVILLIN]

Again, Green's hit wasn't illegal. The reason there's a stand alone diving call is because Green did nothing wrong, Lapierre tried to make it look like Green did something wrong.

And you're right on goaltenders. They dive a lot. The refs go easy on them for whatever reason, maybe because they know they should call goalie interference more often, I don't know.

I'm applauding one single enforcement of a rule here, folks. I'm not saying that reffing isn't inconsistent. I'm arguing against the other two supposed dives. The ref obviously lost his cool and started seeing things that weren't there.

As for if a tough guy did it, yeah he should get called. But again, they're obviously looking for Lapierre to do this, because he's known for it. Just as they'll look for Ryan Smyth to bump a goalie, or Matt Cooke to stick out a knee. That's all I'm saying here. It was the correct call against a guy that the refs know will do stuff like that.

In theory what your saying makes sense, but in reality that is not the case at all. The most recent example is Matt Cooke, he got away with pretty much ending the season of Savard, and also has a rap sheet a mile long, and nothing. In that same week Lapierre and Ovechkin both got suspended (which they deserved) but both there hits were far less a blatant attempt to injure then Cooke's was. Having said that both Lapierre penalty's should have been the double call last night, a penalty to the aggressor and the dive, but the Gionta one was completely BS. Everyone see's this a million times a season. A forward is going for the puck, and the defenceman puts his stick on the ice to defend, and when you try to go around him his stick gets caught in the other players skates, and he falls. That is called tripping every single game to every single team, not that I think it was a trip, but thats wahta they call it, and to see that called diving on a player like Gionta is the biggest load of BS I have seen in quite a while.

[Toronthab]

Sheesh.

Halak was so good, he shut down the message boards.

Well played Jaro. Well played.

HAHAHA!

[Toronthab]

Diving is illegal. It's in the rule book. If you think every player should get one free pass per game to dive (give them the warning) than you've already opened the Pandora's Box to allow illegal play to rule the game. Lapierre brok a NHL rule. He got a penalty.

Some guys have a reputation for boarding. Some have a reputation for kneeing. Some have a reputation for crashing into goalies. Some have a reputation for diving. It shouldn't be shocked if these guys get called for these penalties.

You're asking the ref to ignore the rulebook. The ref's job is to enforce the rulebook. Again, we get mad at refs when they don't enforce the rulebook. Now you're getting mad when they do.

Good call Saskhab. Diving is particularly cheesey. I'm glad he got called. Both times. (THank God they didn't score!)

[saskhab]

In theory what your saying makes sense, but in reality that is not the case at all. The most recent example is Matt Cooke, he got away with pretty much ending the season of Savard, and also has a rap sheet a mile long, and nothing. In that same week Lapierre and Ovechkin both got suspended (which they deserved) but both there hits were far less a blatant attempt to injure then Cooke's was. Having said that both Lapierre penalty's should have been the double call last night, a penalty to the aggressor and the dive, but the Gionta one was completely BS. Everyone see's this a million times a season. A forward is going for the puck, and the defenceman puts his stick on the ice to defend, and when you try to go around him his stick gets caught in the other players skates, and he falls. That is called tripping every single game to every single team, not that I think it was a trip, but thats wahta they call it, and to see that called diving on a player like Gionta is the biggest load of BS I have seen in quite a while.

Well, the Cooke on Savard thing has been debated ad nauseum. The league has their hands dirty for that one for sure.

Again, what Mike Green did wasn't illegal, it was a clean shoulder hit into the boards. What Lapierre did was. So that stand alone diving call was justified. The second one I don't actually think was a Lapierre dive (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here), so yeah it was a bad call in my books (at least give them both a penalty I suppose, but I think it was pretty marginal in both respects, possibly interference on Washington).

And yeah, the Gionta one was ridiculous. The ref (it was the same one that made all 3 calls) went from calling the game to going on some holier than thou mission to eradicate diving by seeing what he wanted to see, not what actually happened. If the only dive he called was on Lapierre's initial one, he would've called it correctly. Unfortunately, he let emotion cloud his judgement the rest of the way. That's why I think the Habs have a case to revoke any potential fine Lapierre might get for getting dinged twice in the same game for diving. It should have only been once.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Washington's game plan seems to be to shoot from everywhere. They're definitely running up the shot totals. But when it's Backstrom, Semin, Ovechkin and Green taking the shots, they can easily score with an outside shot.

I was interested in hearing from you because after Game 2, you said the chance of psychologically damaging Washington was gone. I think that happened last night - for the Caps and any Eastern team that watched that game. For one thing, Washington was dominating, Montreal was getting dominated and yet everyone still knew who was going to win. It's too bad Washington got that one goal on Halak at the end because it brought him down to Earth.

Plus, did you hear the crowd? The last time I heard a crowd that loud was when we came back from 5-0 against the Rangers. The crowd carried the team last night. Halak is particularly good at riding the home crowd's excitement. Had that game been in Washington, I think we get torn apart. But now - they've been mindf*cked David Lynch style. All the pressure is on the Caps, and the Canadiens believe they're going to win.

That game was eerie because, as it unfolded, my rational brain was telling me that our leads were fragile and that the Caps could destroy us in one or two shifts, but for once I didn't really believe it. Everyone watching that game KNEW that Halak was just in total and absolute control - there was no way he was going to lose. (I don't think his getting scored on punctured anything; in fact I think it was a good thing because a shutout would have tilted the karma the wrong way somehow). That is a feeling I have not had since the Roy days. (Theo has splendid moments, but never projected the aura of indestructibility I got from Halak last night).

You're right, we have, miraculously, managed to regain the psychological edge in this series. Mea culpa: I did not for one minute believe it to be possible. The Canadiens are loose and confident, riding high and full of self-belief. The Caps are frustrated and edgy. I will expect them to come out with the greatest single attack wave we have seen all series at the start of Game Seven. IF (and it's a big if) we can withstand that, then we may - just may - get to witness the delicious sight of the Caps in meltdown mode. Even failing that, if we can survive the initial waves, we actually have a chance to win this crazy thing.

Like I said - I can hardly believe it. Halak deserves a lot of credit for last night, but the team as a whole - and the coaches - are what got us into the position where one stolen game could PUSH THE CAPS TO THE BRINK OF ELIMINATION. Exciting times. Now let's finish the deal and eliminate these f*ckers!!!!

Edited April 27, 2010 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber

[Habsfan]

I'm not saying that i'm always right or that I see everything that goes on the ice. I was at the Bell Centr last night, I knew that Laps was gonna get a diving call on the first "dive". IT was deserved.

However, the second diving call on Lapierre was iffy at best and the one on Gionta was a load of horse shit!

Edited April 27, 2010 by Habsfan

[Wamsley01]

That game was eerie because, as it unfolded, my rational brain was telling me that our leads were fragile and that the Caps could destroy us in one or two shifts, but for once I didn't really believe it. Everyone watching that game KNEW that Halak was just in total and absolute control - there was no way he was going to lose. (I don't think his getting scored on punctured anything; in fact I think it was a good thing because a shutout would have tilted the karma the wrong way somehow). That is a feeling I have not had since the Roy days. (Theo has splendid moments, but never projected the aura of indestructibility I got from Halak last night).

You're right, we have, miraculously, managed to regain the psychological edge in this series. Mea culpa: I did not for one minute believe it to be possible. The Canadiens are loose and confident, riding high and full of self-belief. The Caps are frustrated and edgy. I will expect them to come out with the greatest single attack wave we have seen all series at the start of Game Seven. IF (and it's a big if) we can withstand that, then we may - just may - get to witness the delicious sight of the Caps in meltdown mode. Even failing that, if we can survive the initial waves, we actually have a chance to win this crazy thing.

Like I said - I can hardly believe it. Halak deserves a lot of credit for last night, but the team as a whole - and the coaches - are what got us into the position where one stolen game could PUSH THE CAPS TO THE BRINK OF ELIMINATION. Exciting times. Now let's finish the deal and eliminate these f*ckers!!!!

Once the Habs went up 2-0 at no time did I think they were going to lose. I just didn't get the same feeling of dread I had in game 2 or game 4 when I knew they were toast the second they tied it late in the 2nd.

I disagree on the haven't had that feeling since Roy statement though. Theo in his prime (2002) gave me the feeling that the Habs could win any game he started. When the Bruins dominated the shot clock in the first 4 games, I felt Theo could steal the last 2 games and he did. I didn't lose that feeling with him until the 3-0 third period meltdown had occurred.

[Toronthab]

That game was eerie because, as it unfolded, my rational brain was telling me that our leads were fragile and that the Caps could destroy us in one or two shifts, but for once I didn't really believe it. Everyone watching that game KNEW that Halak was just in total and absolute control - there was no way he was going to lose. (I don't think his getting scored on punctured anything; in fact I think it was a good thing because a shutout would have tilted the karma the wrong way somehow). That is a feeling I have not had since the Roy days. (Theo has splendid moments, but never projected the aura of indestructibility I got from Halak last night).

You're right, we have, miraculously, managed to regain the psychological edge in this series. Mea culpa: I did not for one minute believe it to be possible. The Canadiens are loose and confident, riding high and full of self-belief. The Caps are frustrated and edgy. I will expect them to come out with the greatest single attack wave we have seen all series at the start of Game Seven. IF (and it's a big if) we can withstand that, then we may - just may - get to witness the delicious sight of the Caps in meltdown mode. Even failing that, if we can survive the initial waves, we actually have a chance to win this crazy thing.

Like I said - I can hardly believe it. Halak deserves a lot of credit for last night, but the team as a whole - and the coaches - are what got us into the position where one stolen game could PUSH THE CAPS TO THE BRINK OF ELIMINATION. Exciting times. Now let's finish the deal and eliminate these f*ckers!!!!

What's a "fackers"?

I thought Halak was shaky last night. He shook the building, he shook Bourdreau, he shook OV he shook the district of Washington, he shook everyone up for next game. Too shaky.