12/21/24
June 07, 2002
Hockey ratings are up, for now: With the recent hype over the Olympics, hockey has getten more national attention in the US, but will the way the Stanley Cup Finals are being officiated (20 penalties called in last night's game) cause people to lose interest?
Is 20 penalties a lot, or not enough? From what I've seen of the NHL, the rinks are too small leading to an over-physical game.
posted by salmacis at 05:03 AM on June 08, 2002
20 penalties is a ridiculous figure for an NHL final. Most of the penalties were negligible, and it really slows down the game. The refs are trying to keep it clean but it's not working, so just let 'em play. Let 'em play, refs!
posted by Succa at 10:40 AM on June 08, 2002
Yeah, the penalties can be a drag. Tonights triple overtime game had 38 PIMs, but it was well worth watching anyway. It would have been better if the officials had let out the reins a bit, but as long as the games are this good, we'll all be watching.
posted by Samsonov14 at 12:40 AM on June 09, 2002
The only problem with 'letting them play' is that the better cheater ends up winning. I actually think hockey needs to really tighten up its rule enforcement. The kind of stick work that is routine today, slashing the wrists and legs and rampent hooking, were all penalties 15 years ago. The game had speed and grace then that is completely lacking now. Enforce the actual rules and start at the beginning of the season. The teams will adapt and the fans will be happy (unless they have a team of plodding slash and grab players).
posted by srboisvert at 10:28 AM on June 09, 2002
Yes! I got so bored watching the damn officiating, I nearly fell asleep (and I'm a hardcore hockey fan). Like, really hardcore. The hardest.