Carolina Wins Game 4 at Last Second & Brodeur Bump, 4-3

John Madden’s miss of a half open net with about five minutes left really hurts.

As for the non-call, it was utter bulls$@t. It was one of the lamest non-calls I’ve ever seen and I think it’s just a matter of the refs not expecting a goal at that time, so they just let it go. It’s not excusable on their behalf, but I’m really fired up for Thursday now. Wow. Just wow.

thus Jokinen had every right to fight for that spot outside of the goalie’s zone. I know I was furious about that SHI* call, but you know what can we do then just go home and try to beat them at our place. The key thing will be to capitalize on the come back from 0-3 in this game and pressuring Canes in Game 5 early in the game as we did in Game 1.

From the NHL Rulebook, as available at NHL.com:

This rule is based on the premise that an attacking player’s position, whether inside or outside the crease, should not, by itself, determine whether a goal should be allowed or disallowed. In other words,goals scored while attacking players are standing in the crease may, in appropriate circumstances be allowed. Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberatecontact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease. Incidental contact with a goalkeeper will be permitted, and resulting goals allowed, when such contact is initiated outside of the goal crease, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact. The rule will be enforced exclusively in accordance with the on-ice judgement of the Referee(s), and not by means of video replay or review.

The bolded sentences are the pertinent ones in this situation. It doesn’t matter if Brodeur is 6-9 inches out or 4 feet out. Jokinen made no move to avoid the contact and if anything, from the multiple replays I saw on TV in wonderful HD, it appeared that Jokinen not-so-accidentally bumped him. There was a reason why he stayed up so strong and in front, while Brodeur stumbled for a moment.

The very last part of what I quoted gives the refs an out, admittedly, but you’d have a very hard time arguing Jokinen made a reasonable effort.

Rule 69.1 might be the most ambiguously written NHL rule. It seems to contradict itself several times. http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26480

I think the main reason no penalty was called was the fact that he was outside the crease. Also, it clearly was not deliberate contact.

I think this is the part of the rule that was applied in this situation:

“Incidental contact with a goalkeeper will be permitted, and resulting goals allowed, when such contact is initiated outside of the goal crease, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact. The rule will be enforced exclusively in accordance with the on-ice judgement of the Referee(s), and not by means of video replay or review.

…The overriding rationale of this ruleis that a goalkeeper should have the ability to move freely within his goal crease without being hindered by the actions of an attacking player. If an attacking player enters the goal crease and, by his actions, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed."

If you want to avoid getting really pissed, don’t go read Canes Country. He’s actually calling for Brodeur to be suspended for slamming his stick into the boards as well Zubrus for a “cheap shot elbow”. Huh.

On top of that, he claims there should’ve been a penalty for Eric Staal taking a dive so the goal at the end “evened things out.”

Ugh.

Last night’s game sums up my three biggest problems with the Devils this season:

1) They have the ability to play with, and beat, any team in the league, but they often come out and play like they’ll be handed the victory if they just skate around for a while. It’s like watching a gifted but lazy child throw away all of their potential to live in their parent’s basement and smoke pot into their 40’s rather than make something of themselves.

2) That darn defensive scheme late in a game, especially in the playoffs. They played for overtime rather than to win the game. They took it to Carolina and gave up nothing all period, but when it got late they backed off. I understand that you don’t want to lose a game late, but what did the Canes have up until the Devils backed off, 4 shots on goal all period? They can’t score while they’re chasing the puck in their own defensive end. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. In such a tight series, they need to play to win, not to not lose.

3) Brodeur. I blame him for the loss last night. Not because of the poor rebound control he had all night that directly led to 2 of the Cane’s goals, but because he went out of his crease at the end of the game looking for that bump. He’s got no right to be angry about not getting a call. Jokinen didn’t get out of the way, to be sure, but Marty glided right into him. Having seen him do it before too many times to count, I know full well it was intentional on Marty’s part, and I hate that part of his game. He needs to shut up, buckle down, and play like he’s capable rather than hope the ref’s will help him out.

All that being said, I have confidence the Devils can pull it out. I hope they’re angry at themselves for playing like crap for 30+ minutes, and have confidence knowing that they can break Carolina when they try. If they come out on Thursday playing like they did in the 3rd period last night, they can rout Carolina, which is exactly what they need heading into game 6 back in Raleigh.

At this point arguing over whether or not Jussi Jokinen blatantly interfered with Brodeur is pointless. There was no penalty called and the Hurricanes were able to win the game. It is what it is. I just hope Brodeur and the Devils take their anger and channel it into the winning effort needed to end Carolina’s season. They’re a better team than the Hurricanes. They need to prove it.

Then the game ended on a travesty of a non-call..The ref may claim it was a reasonable effort to avoid him, but the video shows otherwise! Brodeur was very upset after the game – something not normal for him – and he has every right to be! blockquote</>

You have to be kidding me.

A travesty of a non call? Is that a joke? Marty was outside his crease and Jokinen unintentionally bumped into him. The video shows otherwise, please, stop making a fool of yourself. It didn’t even have an effect on the goal, the shot came from the other side and Marty was already set and ready to make the save. Marty didn’t even complain until after the video review ruled it a goal. It was as if his tantrum was a sideshow designed to make an excuse for allowing the game winning goal.

I didn’t realize that it was ok for a player to complain to the media about officiating.. REGARDLESS of the circumstances. Which in this case, his complaining wasn’t even warranted.

is the ambiguity of the rule, but at the same time, it would be difficult to make it more definitive with the way skaters and goalies are allowed to make contact with each other both inside and outside of the crease. One could really argue the Jokinen goal either way.