Calling penalties 5 on 5 vs. 5 on 4

[LabattBlue]

After the fiasco that was the opening 5 minutes of the Toronto game, it got me thinking...Should the referees give the players a little more leeway when they are killing a penalty. I'm not saying they should put the whistles away and throw out the rule book, but the some of the ticky tack stuff being called at even strength should not be called when a team is already short one player.

[Kristian]

No.

 

They should just call infractions that are there, and not make them up in order to reimburse a team that has taken a ton of penalties already.

 

Way too many make-up calls in the league as it is.

 

The Sabres started out by taking som lazy, stupid penalties and they paid for it.

 

Small infractions, but penalties nonetheless. Things got out of hand after that.

 

In general, I don't think those minimal infractions should be called. Why call a hooking, when clearly the player being hooked doesn't even lose a stride, let alone the puck?

 

Let the play develop, see if he retains his balance and puck control. If he doesn't, call a penalty, if he does, let it go.

 

That said though, I cringe at the very thought of refs having to make judgement calls, as 99% of them clearly aren't capabale of handling such responsibilities.

[Eric in Akron]

I don't think they should call it any different if your 5-on-5 or 5-on-4. 5-on-4 is supposed to be a punishment for the penalty taken and therefore, you should be give special consideration because you're a man down. It's your own fault you're down a man, so deal with it.

 

That being said, I just wish they would call a game consistently. Too many times I 've seen them call everything early and then start letting things go by the 3rd period or worse yet, they let things go early and then start clamping down later in the game. I just want a game called consistently, is that too much to ask?

[rickshaw]

They need to call actual penalties. The calls where a guy reaches out with his stick and taps the other player's bum, are ridiculous. Briere's penalty was god awful. IF a player causes his opponent to lose stride, or possesion of the puck because of a stick infraction, then call a penalty. But to call penalties on guys who barely touch the other and the player continues on like a fly landed on him, who cares??

 

This is what is killing the game. I know, give an inch, take a mile, but let's be real. Some of the calls the other night were downright unreal

[Godzilla1960]

I certainly saw a difference between the way the Sabres-Leafs game was called Wednesday and the Sabres-Habs game Friday night. I'm not blaming or crediting the officiating for the outcome of either game, but Wednesday saw 18 penalties, whereas last night they called eight (mostly against the Habs), with none in the 3rd. I understand the Habs and Leafs play different styles of hockey, but the refs were letting a lot of penalties go last night that they would have called in the Leafs game.

[SDS]

They need to call actual penalties. The calls where a guy reaches out with his stick and taps the other player's bum, are ridiculous. Briere's penalty was god awful.

 

that was as bad of a penalty call as you will see made on any ice in any league. Yet, Paetsch can crosscheck a guy down to the ice in the crease and it goes uncalled. :rolleyes: