First off, I have to give it to Rick Tocchet for a brilliant gameplan for the vastly less talented Flyers team leading the Pens 3-0.

Where I have concern (not sure if that's the right word...) is the complete lack of rule enforcement in this series by the NHL Refs.

What I have seen since the start of game 1 is a relentless combination of late hits (most of the time well after the puck has departed), and away from puck hits. There were probably at least a dozen in the first period of game 1 alone, and scores of them in each of the other games.

The reality is the Flyers haven't got called on 99% of those infractions, and at the same time the Pens do not have a team with the mentality of after the play body hunting like a Matt Cooke type player might do.

The entire series was turned on its head in Game 3, when the refs put all 5 players in the box who were on the ice (WTF is that??) and gave Rust an extra 2. Travis K, started the whole thing with an elbow, should have got 2 for that, 2 for the late swing, and at least 2 for kicking at Rust at the very end of the scrum. The PPG goal on Rust's extra 2 turned the entire series.

I'm not here to discuss Sid flopping, but I'd especially like to hear your thoughts on this series and the way its gone. Let's keep this to rational thoughts and input not the "the Pens stink" type rhetoric.

I'd also like to get the perspective of any of our officials who are on this forum.

PB

I think the pens had a very over-achieving season. I think their older guys realize where they are at and gave it their all throughout the season to put themselves in a playoff position. The problem is, you can't kick it up another gear when you have already been giving it your all for an entire season.

Philly has stepped it up to a "playoff intensity" for the last month or more to get in, and it's showing that they are still playing at that level. The problem for the Flyers is, you can't do it for that long of a period of time and it will come back to bite them in one of the next two rounds.

Edited April 23Apr 23 by Icebucket
typo

My son and I have been watching and commenting on the lack of interference calls (or late hits if you want to call them that). It's been prevalent thoughout the series honestly on both sides.

Edited April 23Apr 23 by aaaahockey
Grammar

The lack of a call for the attempted kick is appalling. Absolutely dangerous play that went unpunished. Rust coming away with the only real penalty there is bad.

The Pens however are playing horrible.

5 hours ago, Icebucket said:

I think the pens had a very over-achieving season. I think their older guys realize where they are at and gave it their all throughout the season to put themselves in a playoff position. The problem is, you can't kick it up another hear when you have already been giving it your all for an entire season.

Philly has stepped it up to a "playoff intensity" for the last month or more to get in, and it's showing that they are still playing at that level. The problem for the Flyers is, you can't do it for that long of a period of time and it will come back to bite them in one of the next two rounds.

I agree. The result of this season is well above expectations. Dubas deserves a lot of credit for bringing in a whole group of players who fit in well. Half of the guys who played important roles on the team this year are new to the team this year. Trading Kulak was probably a sign that the organization did not expect to be in the playoffs, so even internally the expectations were low.

Does anyone else think the Penguins are playing too soft?

7 hours ago, CranjisMcBasketball said:

Does anyone else think the Penguins are playing too soft?

Do they have any choice? They don't have the PH72/Matt Cooke types around anymore. They don't have a Tkatchuk type player, do they?

22 hours ago, Icebucket said:

I think the pens had a very over-achieving season. I think their older guys realize where they are at and gave it their all throughout the season to put themselves in a playoff position. The problem is, you can't kick it up another gear when you have already been giving it your all for an entire season.

Philly has stepped it up to a "playoff intensity" for the last month or more to get in, and it's showing that they are still playing at that level. The problem for the Flyers is, you can't do it for that long of a period of time and it will come back to bite them in one of the next two rounds.

I'll agree.

17 hours ago, aaaahockey said:

My son and I have been watching and commenting on the lack of interference calls (or late hits if you want to call them that). It's been prevalent thoughout the series honestly on both sides.

I seem to see that it's primarily been one way, but they have been frequent and most of them ignored. This wouldn't generally fly at u16AA, why would it be tolerated at the NHL level?

6 hours ago, Paul Baxter said:

I seem to see that it's primarily been one way, but they have been frequent and most of them ignored. This wouldn't generally fly at u16AA, why would it be tolerated at the NHL level?

Yeah we seem to notice it more I think because we are Pens fans and someone would have to do a count but we started talking about it two games ago and witnessed both teams causing massive interference on plays. Probably more on the Philly side because our zone entries are limited by their trap and we have to dump it so you see it more but the Pens have been guilty several times and no calls there either.