Devils complain about officials

[Cane Says]

From the Raleigh News and Observer
RALEIGH - The New Jersey Devils are claiming the Carolina Hurricanes have the referees on their side.
One day after New Jersey lost Game 5 in overtime, the Devils had pointed criticism of the referees, specifically in the three games played at the Entertainment and Sports Arena -- all losses for New Jersey.
A late charging call on Devils center Bobby Holik, with 1:50 left in regulation Wednesday, sparked the Devils' complaints. Holik checked Canes rookie Jaroslav Svoboda from behind and knocked him over near the side of the Devils' goal.
The penalty led to the tying goal by Jeff O'Neill with 1:29 left. The Canes won 3-2 in overtime.
"To me, that was more of a makeup call," veteran New Jersey defender Ken Daneyko said. "The game is being played that way all along. I think [referee Kerry Fraser] was just covering his butt by saying, 'At least [New Jersey] scored on a power play, I'm going to give one opportunity so it's even, and we're in their building.'
"... Sometimes they're calling just to even things up, instead of absolutely calling it."
Holik took issue with the timing of the call.
"It never occurred to me that there would be a penalty at that time of the game," Holik said. "I really believe I wasn't doing anything a player would be penalized for. I didn't think I was taking anyone's scoring opportunity away."
The penalty numbers have been nearly even in the three games at the ESA. The Canes have been called for 17 penalties and the Devils 15. Each team has scored three power-play goals.
At New Jersey, the Canes have been whistled for 10 penalties and New Jersey nine. On their home ice, the Devils have four power-play goals and the Canes none.
To goalie Martin Brodeur, the way the games have been officiated has changed withthe address.
In Game 3 at the Meadowlands, the game was called tighter. The Canes took four penalties in 21 minutes and gave up three goals. They never recovered from the early penalties and lost 4-0.
"The games over there [in Raleigh], they clutch and grab and didn't pay the price," Brodeur said. "In our building, they paid the price and we took advantage of it."
Added Holik: "It could be the penalties against the visiting team are more disputable than the ones called against the home team."
For their part, the Canes have been quiet about the referees. Svoboda took a boarding penalty at 10:28 in the third to set up the Devils' go-ahead goal. He said Holik did the same thing he did.
When Svoboda was told that Holik didn't think it was a penalty, New Jersey coach Kevin Constantine said his players need to worry more about winning Game 6 than the referees.
"Putting energy on things we don't control is a waste of energy," Constantine said."We're not going to change the calls they make and we have to work through that."

[Signal]

Notice it's the teams that have lost that complain?...It's pretty common to see the refs blamed for things...Sometimes the complaints are understandable but that's not going to make the NHL tell them to play the game over again...Hehehe...Even as a Devil fan, I don't find this a big deal...They lost and they just need to get over it and focus on game six, at least they are still in this series...It's do or die tomorrow...I think it'll be a fun game to watch!...



Jason