The Pittsburgh Penguins were defeated last night by the Washington Capitals 3-1. The Capitals led 3-0 until Patrick Hornqvist late in the third for the Penguins. Shortly after, the Penguins went empty net. However, while with an empty net and extra attacker, Patrick Hornqvist was called for a 2 minute slashing minor. In the NHL, slashing calls are very inconsistent. Slashing are sometimes called and sometimes not. In fact, several slashing and minor cross check and trips go uncalled each game. The penalty basically ended Pittsburgh’s chance at a comeback. To make matter worse, Evgeni Malkin hit TJ Oshie’s stick into the benches, getting Pittsburgh called for another penalty. In addition, Oshie and Malkin were given penalties for fighting, and Malkin was given a game misconduct. A game misconduct for a minor interference and a fight? Their were plenty of fights during the game where no one was sent to the box from either side. Additionally, Evgeny Kuzstetsov of the Washington Capitals should have been called for an unsportsmanlike conduct when he and Malkin got in a screaming fight across benches. The penalties called did not make complete sense.
At the end of the Capitals @ Penguins game, the referees did not hesitate to call penalties when the Penguins were empty net. However, when the New York Rangers played the Capitals last Wednesday, it was a different story. The Ranger were up 2-1 and the Capitals wanted to go empty net to get an extra attacker. Their goaltender, Brandon Holtby, ran to the bench. Before he got to the bench, the extra attacker for Washington came on the ice and played the puck. The referees stopped the play and considered calling the Capitals for too many men on the ice, but they didn’t. “To me, it was an easy call to make because the guy who came on for Holtby when he was about 10 feet away touched the puck. It was an easy call to make and they didn’t make it, ” said Rangers Coach Alain Vineault. The Capitals scored the goal to tie it and then won it in overtime. However, if the Rangers would have been give the power play they most likely would have won the game. I think the referees knew they should have called the penalties, but they did not because they did not want to the game to come down to a penalty call. However, the referees last night were not concerned that their call could decide the game when the penalized Hornqvist for slashing.
photo by clyde
