Refs, and Bad Wings Hockey

For those of you who actually sat through Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, congratulations. I cannot imagine watching the whole game. From what I saw it was a typical Detroit Red Wings hockey game, flashes of great hockey but for the most part it was hockey that could put you to sleep and may well have. Don Cherry during Coach's Corner showed the fans after a hit by a Wings player, no fan reaction minus the one guy who raised his hands in approval of the hit. In the same clip, you could see the amount of empty seats at Joe Louis Area in what is supposed to be known as Hockeytown, USA. But Hockeytown it is not. This is the 3^rd round of the playoffs. There should be no empty seats whatsoever. NONE.

Who can we blame for this?

No not the fans, the team. The team is by far one of the more boring to watch on TV or live. This team rivals the trapping New Jersey Devils for most boring hockey I have seen. One Red Wing was in a scrum and was hit in the face by a Star not once, but twice and what was his reaction…he just skated away. This is NOT playoff hockey, but enough about the Wings and their bad hockey, back to the game and the refs.

When we look at this game one goal pops right out, the Detroit goal in which a Detroit player was clearly in the crease and impeding Marty Turco from doing his job. Earlier in the playoffs this would have been called off, but apparently it’s ok now. The one thing that all sports fans, whether they be baseball, hockey, basketball, football or soccer or anything else, is consistent rules, and for the refs or umpires to be consistent in calling them. I realize that all referees are different but even the same referees will call differently game to game.

So to those who plan on watching the game, good luck, and for those who aren’t going to watch it, good call, and let hope the refs make some of those too.

--kp