Postgame Thoughts: Red Wings @ Sharks – Game One

Lots of talk about the refs tonight but it’s not as simple as that, which might be an unfortunate thing. Expanding on a thought I tweeted earlier…

The Red Wings probably didn’t play well enough to win this one. They spent too much time on their heels in the second period even though they came out of that one still up by a goal. They let Jimmy Howard keep them in it rather than playing their puck possession game.

That said, did they play so much dirtier of a game than the Sharks that they deserved three times as many penalties? I think the two teams played a very similar game as far as infractions went, it’s just that Detroit got called for theirs.

I don’t really have a problem with the boarding penalty to Todd Bertuzzi in the third period. I do think Joe Pavelski “sold” it – which really bothers me – but I don’t mind the call. That is, if the same call had been made when Justin Abdelkader was hit earlier in the game.

If you’re going to call that slash by Patrick Eaves late in the third period, you’d better have been calling it up to that point.

I harp on it all the damned time but it’s not the penalties that are a problem, it’s the inconsistency in what’s called a penalty. This isn’t Calvinball, the rules don’t change at random. Make up your mind as to what constitutes a penalty and stick to it.

But, as Mike Babcock said, you’re not taking penalties if you have the puck. If the Wings hadn’t rolled over in the second period, maybe they’re looking at a bigger lead heading into the third and San Jose’s PPG doesn’t matter.