Lamoriello, Sutter incensed by officials

Scoring only one goal again clearly was the Devils' biggest problem in tonight's 2-1 loss to the Rangers, but the officiating  is what really peaked their frustration tonight.

Someone sent a comment earlier that they wished Brent Sutter would go Jim Schoenfled on the officials after tonight's game. Well, Lou Lamoriello came close.

He could be heard screaming at Supervisor of Officials Terry Gregson in the hallway adjacent to the officials locker room after the game. That hallway was closed to the media by arena security while a member of team security herded Lamoriello down the hallway to the practice locker room.

I couldn't get Lamoriello on the phone after tonight's game, but it was obvious what he was unhappy about.

First, was the hooking call on Jamie Langenbrunner against Brendan Shanahan with 56.3 seconds remaining. It turns out that Shanahan had complained to the officials after the Devils' goal that he had been interfered with on the faceoff that preceded it.

Regardless, that pretty much killed the Devils' comeback hopes and Langenbrunner didn't think the call was a legitimate one. "At that point in the game? Hell no," Langenbrunner said. "I think you have to let the guys battle. Every inch of the ice is tough to get."

Next came the non-call against Blair Betts on Paul Martin. It could have been a hook or a hold. The officials called nothing. "It doubly frustrates you," Langenbrunner said. "But I guess that's the game. They call what they see. It's unfortunate, but we had opportunities early on to break through and we didn't do it."

"I don't understand either of them," Sutter said. "I don't understand it."

What really set the Devils off was the icing call that immediately followed the Betts/Martin non-call. A shorthanded team is allowed to ice the puck.

"The non-call, I'm not worried about that," John Madden said. "I was more worried about how four (officials) don't know we're shorthanded call an icing call. A guy is bearing down on him (Michal Rozsival) and he blows the whistle. There wasn't one guy that acted like they knew we were shorthanded. They went down the other end like it was an icing."

The Devils didn't like that the faceoff went back to center ice, though that is the rule is the missed call.

"They know they made a mistake, but they put (the faceoff) at center ice," said Sutter, who broke a stick over the boards in front of the Devils' bench after the icing call. "I just don't understand it. You're know there's a mistake on the icing call and you don't let the faceoff go back in the (Rangers' zone). I know that's not what happens, but it's almost like you're saying you're half right when it's the wrong call."

Madden said that when he asked one of the referees about it, "The ref just said it's not his fault. He didnt make the call."

**Sutter said he also thought that Christian Backman should have received a crosschecking major for the high stick that knocked out Zach Parise's two front teeth in the first period. For some reason, Backman's penalty was called high sticking, though it was a clear crosscheck. It's hard for the Devils to say that made a difference when they didn't register a shot on the power play.

**The Brian Gionta non-goal with 6:56 remaining was another case of the video review in Toronto being inconclusive. Referee Dave Jackson was right on top of the play the whole time and said the puck never crossed the goal line completely. "The referee was sure it wasn't in andn there were no (replay) angles that proved any different," NHL video director Damian Echevarrieta said via e-mail.

The Devils didn't complain strongly after that one, though Henrik Lundqvist's pad appeared to be behind the line.

"It hit his pad, I know that," Gionta said. "I thought his pad was across the line."

"I got a pretty good feeling that I made the save," Lundqvist said. "I wasnt 100 percent sure. But it felt like it didn't cross the line."

Comments

[aarrghhh]

Honestly, I forgot they were shorthanded too, was too caught up in the play. But they don't pay me to do that.

[Brian]

TG, do you think any disciplinary action will be taken against the officials? Also, do you think the NHL tries to fine Lou for speaking his mind? Nice to see that Lou was just as upset as the rest of us. Hopefully these officials never work another game at this level.

[FTC]

TG, what was Lou Lams screaming?

[puckstopshere02]

I'm sure that's not the first time in league history where a team has pulled the goalie when they're shorthanded and dumped the puck in. At least one official on the ice needs to be paying attention. That's inexcusable. Also, I know the rule is to bring the faceoff out to center ice, but that's just plain stupid.

However, you don't win many games scoring one goal. As much as that possibly stopped the Devils from scoring in the final 30 seconds, it wouldn't be an issue if they could put the puck in the net.

[room temp]

There was also a cross check of Parise behind the net with his back turned that didn't help the refs cause with that ticky tac call on Langenbrunner

[jules]

I agree that it wouldn't have been an issue (obviously, the real problem is that they couldn't score in a whorehouse with wads of bennies stapled to their jocks), but they had just scored and were actually getting decent chances. Not to mention that Madden was absolutely beastly. I don't think it's inconceivable to think that they wouldn't have tied it up. That reffing at the end killed any momentum they had and any chance they had of tying the game. And if you're going to make that call on Langs, then make the ones on the Rags, too.

Anyway, good that they were pissed. Who cares if they get fined? The refs should be held accountable, too.

[Jill]

I was feeling a last second goal until that messed up penalty. I would be mad like Lou also and flipping out like he did. Yeah we can't blame the refs on the entire loss, but in the last few seconds we weren't given the chance to tie it up because of the bad officiating, so there is something to be mad about there. It was basically out of the Devils hands at that point and into the officiating staff. If we would have just scored on the million other power play chances, this wouldn't be a problem, but even so, the game shouldn't be over until the final buzzer, and it was as if the officiating crew acted like it was over all along in the final minutes.

[mikeK]

So now in order to get calls we have to whine?

Welcome to the Crosby Hockey League.

Go eat more donuts, pig refs.

[Richer's Ghost]

Please tell me how in the world a rookie official is even in this game? They reduce the number of officials for the playoffs - it only makes sense that ANY veteran who is still good enough to be an NHL official would be more appropriate to ref a playoff game than any rookie.

That rookie ref was the centerpiece for several of the calls and non-calls in question.

Good for Lou. The fans are emotional, the players are emotional, the coach is emotional - he deserves and SHOULD be too.

The replay once again shows why an overhead camera is useless in today's game. Put the camera inside the net looking down & across the goal line. With pads as big as Henrik's you're NEVER going to see anything conclusive. His pads were indeed crossing the line from the mid-point down to his toes, but the shot came in around his knee and could only be seen coming out from behind the line next to the post. It was also flipping end over end as it hit - so if it hit flat it was probably in, if not - could have been on the line. Either way there needs to be a better way to have conclusive video either way - not just this "there's nothing that positively shows it in" as this has hurt too many teams when logic has dictated it had to be in (not the case here) such as the puck goes under a glove that is completely over the line yet since the puck cannot be seen it is ruled no goal. Or when you see a black round object denting the twine but the pad is below that round object and thus you cannot distinctly make out the puck (Boston game) and also not considered enough evidence... the system is broken.

On an up note - great game by Madden and I hope everyone else appreciates his frustration and letting the ref hear it at the end of the game. The usually reserved Mad Dog let fly with the proper response that I would want to see if I were a player on that team (or coach for that matter).

[obakabe]

I think the whole blaming the refs thing is poor sportsmanship. We still have only scored 2 goals in 2 games. Score more goals and control your own destiny. dont put it in the refs hands so if they make a mistake or two its going to cost you the game

[obakabe]

I think the whole blaming the refs thing is poor sportsmanship. We still have only scored 2 goals in 2 games. Score more goals and control your own destiny. dont put it in the refs hands so if they make a mistake or two its going to cost you the game

[mike]

It has nothing to do with poor sportsmanship. The last 15 minutes of this game was the worst officiating I've ever seen.
Nobody is saying we would have won, but with these awful refs, we'll never know.

[How Sweep it is]

Well boys what are your feelings about being swept on wed?

Henrik is Better goalie and an athlete than Diver The whiner the one and only Brodiva.Hes old your team is doomed.

[brian]

no you cant blame the refs, especially if you wait till the last two minutes to score your goals. tonight game has brought me to the conclusion the sutter hasnt really done the job. being in the upper section, seeing the whole ice, it is pretty obvious the devils have no plays. they skate to center than dump and chase. every single time!! if they do get to the puck there is no one in front...ever. multiple times tonight i saw all three devil forwards behind the ranger net. who is in front waiting for that puck? dont even get me started on the power play. sutter needs to have a playbook because i did not see any of them tonight. and the blind passing from the forwards all over the ice...the D did play well tonight. they were picking up the man in front and clearing those loose pucks. after 13 years are the rangers now the better team??

[How Sweep it is]

But yes u did get screwed at the end but be fair u got a lot of no callers

[player]

You have to remember everything else is irrelevant when talking about the last few minutes of the game. It was called horribly. Regardless of the way the Devils played and their inability to score. The referees are ruining the game with CHINSEY penalties. Remember the days when they let the players play to decide the game for themselves. Watching 5-on-5 hockey is so much more entertaining than watching teams set up powerplays or the killing team dump the puck down the ice. It's infuriating as a hockey fan when you see the referees out on the eyes LOOKING for penalties to call. If you see a call that warrants a penalty call it. and when the other team is on the PP know it. I'm tired of watching referees decide the games. Playoff hockey is losing its luster that it once had. Hopefully the NHL's entire officiating team gets a talking to, LET THE PLAYERS PLAY.

[ZW]

Well, I thought that the officials absolutely sucked tonight, but I don't think the Devils can complain about that. They had there chances once again to score goals and they have yet to do it.

Well, Lets GO DEVILS!

ps. lets score more than 1 goal on Sunday..

[Mascot]

The Devils have to dump & chase to break the trap of the Rangers. The Rangers are not that good. The Devils are just that bad. After a month of scoring zero to one goal per game, Sutter has stood pat on his line combos. If he sticks with more of the same on Sunday, then I just don't know what he's thinking. Name one player who has flourished under Sutter. Any of the pleasant surprises on defense are much in thanks to Larry Robinson.

Yeah, How Sweep It Was when the Devils swept the Rangers in 2006. The Devils have never been swept in a playoff series. Maybe the Devils don't win this series but can the Rangers beat the Penguins, Canadiens or Capitals. No way, no day!

[FTC]

One player who has flourished under Sutter? Umm...I don't know, how about the best player on the ice tonight? John Freaking Madden.

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ d]

Penguins, Canadiens or Capitals. No way, no day! ok first bkueshirts have beten them, won both series montral 3-1 and pitss 5-3 and the caps 2-0-2. so yeah we can beat them, and FTC, I'm no devils fan and don't claim to be but up hasn't rupp done well under sutter?

[Paul R _ _ _ _ _ d]

*blueshirts sorry

[aarrghhh]

Hey, TG, your thoughts on the Langenbrunner/Gomez "fight"?

I thought it was pretty pathetic. Moreso that the Devils *Captain* was involved in it. I don't think Scott Stevens would get into a pursefight with Sergei Berezin and then get laughed at afterwards.

Don't think anything about this game bothered me more than that, because it really shows the difference from where we *were* to where we *are*. I'm sure he tells some funny jokes in the lockeroom, but from the outside, he's a really lame Captain and I'm not exactly sure why Sutter striped Patty to give it to Langenbrunner before Langenbrunner had even played a game. (no matter how it worked out, this had to be 100% predetermined).

If the team is looking for leadership by example, I'm not exactly sure that's what Lou has in mind.

[Masher]

"At that point in the game? Hell no," Langenbrunner said. "I think you have to let the guys battle. Every inch of the ice is tough to get."

EQUALS

"Yeah, it was a penalty, but they shouldn't have called it at that point of the game."

If they're calling that all game, they'd might as well call it in the final minutes. It's not like the Devils haven't been the beneficiaries of similar circumstances in the past. It just didn't go their way this time.

[matt]

"u can't blame the refs, Devils only scored 2 goals in 2 games."

IF THE REFS DID THEIR JOB RIGHT THEN WE'D AT LEAST GET A CHANCE TO SEE IF THE DEVILS CAN ONLY SCORE 2 GOALS IN 2 GAMES!

TONIGHTS GAME COULD'VE BEEN WON if not for the poor officiating. If no poor call was made, we wouldn't be talking about poor sportsmanship, cuz there'd be no reason to .. it would just be another Loss or overtime victory.

Having the whole idea of a NORMAL loss or overtime win being erased by bad officiating is a disgrace.
Its bad for the sport and isn't fair to the teams or fans that a game can be altered by so many mistakes in such little time. Horrible! And i bet the NHL doesn't care at all. The Devils are losing, so everything is fine.

[Uli]

Lou Lame-o has done a horrendous job. Every Tom, Dick and Harry knew we had a piss poor offense yet he did nothing all year. He is the only one to blame. Officiating sucks every playoff year, so we should not be surprized how these morons call games. Lou, wake up an smell the coffee.