Refs in the NHL

Now I don't like to complain too much about Refs as I understand it is a very tough game to call given the speed that plays happen at but I know I am not alone in feeling that this year there seem to be way more questionable calls than before.

Some of my biggest gripes so far this year are with inteference calls on guys hitting players who have just got rid of the puck. So many times a defender (sometimes forwards but more often than not defence) decide to take the man and eliminate him from the play, as the D steps up the forward throws the puck deep behind the net. The D finishes their check, inteference. In the past this was usually deemed a good play for finishing your check but something seems to have changed. I saw this last night with Timonen on one of the Islanders, I saw it twice when we played Vancouver, once with Dillon finishing off one of the Canucks forwards and again when Lapierre came down to hit Goligoski. Personally I think these are very weak and would much rather allow these to continue. Not sure if this was announced as a change in the CBA but I don't remember seeing anything and it just seems that the refs are calling it different to how it used to be.

Couple that with plenty of other crap calls (Sedin high sticking his team mate but Roussel being called for it, Benn taking a minor because he hit a player on the follow through of a dump in, Canucks having a waved off goal for goalie inteference that really shouldn't have been and plenty of others besides) and many fans are beginning to lose patience with the refs.

That brings me to my point, as Puck Daddy pointed out in the link below, last night saw possibly the worse non call yet as Duchene entered the zone about a mile offside yet no whistle was blown.

Say what you want about how difficult their job is, the standard so far has been far below what should be deemed acceptable.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/predators-incensed-over-matt-duchene-blown-offside-goal-234431460--nhl.html

Oh and I don't think I really need to mention it but there was the 'head shot' miconduct on Backes when he hit Huskins cleanly as linked in that article.

In summary, the refs suck.

Minor penalty to number 9, Beef, Being a Duck.

Hey hey...... I wear number 11

Double minor unsportsmanlike conduct - arguing with the official

Don't be silly..... unsportsmanlike for arguing with an official would make sense.....let's call it slashing for arguing with an official.

Ok that is it, I have had enough of your insolence. 5+10+Game+Match. Being a Jopter.

Do I get a Shanaban with that?

No you get Matt Cooked

Oh god, I'll be good