rangers 2, sabres 1

I was at the game and that was one of the worst officiated games I have ever seen in my 40 years of watching hockey. For the refs to almost have a hand in the determination of a playoff game is disgraceful. 2 periods without a penalty by the Sabres after being outplayed for most of the game not to mention the ridiculous calls against the Rangers? Blatant anti-NY bias. The refs should be reviewed and fined.

Now I know why Islanders fans lost it during the Sabres series. Never in my life of watching NHL hockey have I ever seen officiating so blatantly horrific in favor of one team. An absolute total disgrace that almost tore away a great game. The Rangers had to beat the Sabres, the officials, and apparently the morons in Toronto who disallowed a goal that anyone with a quarter of a brain knows was a legal goal. The Rangers have now outplayed Buffalo for 8 periods of hockey...and can tie it Tuesday. LET'S GO RANGERS!! And yes, the NHL has made it clear they want Buffalo to win. One bad call happens, two or three happens...hell, even four. But this is an absolute joke how Buffalo gets almost EVERY SINGLE CALL. Islander fans...I understand your pain now, because it's hard to beat a team that the league wants to win.

Anthony Viola wrote:

I was at the game and that was one of the worst officiated games I have ever seen in my 40 years of watching hockey. For the refs to almost have a hand in the determination of a playoff game is disgraceful. 2 periods without a penalty by the Sabres after being outplayed for most of the game not to mention the ridiculous calls against the Rangers? Blatant anti-NY bias. The refs should be reviewed and fined.

Not only that, but tell me why Pominville's goal in game 1 counted and Rachunek's yesterday did not. It was the almost an identical play. That's something I would love Toronto to answer.

Yes the officials suck but it's still only 2-1 Sabers, should be 2-1 Rangers and could be 3-0 Rangers. They will win tomorrow at the garden and this will end in 6. This league better start to see how embarressing the officiating is getting, they never make the same call twice with the same explanation. How that was a kicking motion is a mystery, the obvios non-calls for any infraction you can think of defies logic. The old excuss was the ref didn't see it, we need two refs, whats the excuss now? Doesn't matter, if your a Ranger fan you have delt with this many times before.

LET's GO RANGERS!!!!!

I couldn't take the officiating I had to leave after the 2nd. Can you imagine they have stopped serving Glenlivet!

Joe, everyone hates the Rangers and everyone hates us.

Lets just win the whole damn thing and piss everyone off.

Questionable non-calls on potential Sabre penalties? I agree. It was a poorly officiated game from that perspective. But the dis-allowed goal? It was borderline. Yes, I understand why Ranger fans would be upset, but there was enough of a leg motion toward the puck to have it go either way.

As far as the cross-check against Shanny... Zipay, you lost your objectivity on that one to even say that it was questionable. Shanny blatently cross-checked him - and he did so while the player was down. It was an easy call.

Jim from Woodbury wrote:

Joe, everyone hates the Rangers and everyone hates us.
Lets just win the whole damn thing and piss everyone off.

I wouldn't say everyone hates the Rangers, NBC is cheering like crazy for the Rangers to advance.

Cincy wrote:

Questionable non-calls on potential Sabre penalties? I agree. It was a poorly officiated game from that perspective. But the dis-allowed goal? It was borderline. Yes, I understand why Ranger fans would be upset, but there was enough of a leg motion toward the puck to have it go either way.
As far as the cross-check against Shanny... Zipay, you lost your objectivity on that one to even say that it was questionable. Shanny blatently cross-checked him - and he did so while the player was down. It was an easy call.

How do you cross-check someone when you only have one hand on your stick? Quite a trick.

That's tough playoff hockey and shows exactly how hard this Ranger team plays for both their coach and teamates. This group is a proud bunch of professionals.

VT Isles Fan wrote:

<quoted text>
I wouldn't say everyone hates the Rangers, NBC is cheering like crazy for the Rangers to advance.

And uhhh, yeah, that has an affect on the outcome of the game how?

When the officials and video review hate you, that is when it has an affect on the game.

I can't stand NBC and Versdus by the way, I would just rather every game be on MSG.

Chris wrote:

Now I know why Islanders fans lost it during the Sabres series. Never in my life of watching NHL hockey have I ever seen officiating so blatantly horrific in favor of one team. An absolute total disgrace that almost tore away a great game. The Rangers had to beat the Sabres, the officials, and apparently the morons in Toronto who disallowed a goal that anyone with a quarter of a brain knows was a legal goal. The Rangers have now outplayed Buffalo for 8 periods of hockey...and can tie it Tuesday. LET'S GO RANGERS!! And yes, the NHL has made it clear they want Buffalo to win. One bad call happens, two or three happens...hell, even four. But this is an absolute joke how Buffalo gets almost EVERY SINGLE CALL. Islander fans...I understand your pain now, because it's hard to beat a team that the league wants to win.

I could not agree with you more. The Rangers have been the better team in this series, and if these refs calling these games had a clue, Isles (not saying they would've won in Round 1) would've given a much better series. These bullcrap calls have been the determination of games. Game 3 should not have went to double OT. Rangers should've won 3-0 or 3-1 or something.

Ya know what? I was one of the guys that told Islander fans to stop whining and start winning when they were complaining about the officials. I still feel that way - a true chamionship team does not put itself in a position to let others (refs, teams, whatever) decide their fate.

That being said - I can now completely understand where the Islanders and their fans were coming from. There were more than a few "questionable" calls during that game yesterday - but for the most part, I think the on-ice refs did an OK job.

Shanahan's cross-checking call was not the "right" call, but it was correct. It probably should've been boarding though - not cross-checking. It was fairly obviously that Shanny gave a good shove to the back with both hands to a player that was on the ice, facing the boards and unable to defend the hit he couldn't see coming. But - why is it that every time Jagr asserted himself, he was whisteld for an infraction. The tripping call against him was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. The biggest problem with the NHL officials is that same as it has always been - consistency. If you're going to call it one way - you've got to call it the other. Simple as that.

On the other hand - the video replay officials are just disgusting. It seems like any playoff video review involving the Sabres is an attempt to pay them back for the shafting they got in 1999 (a la Brett Hull and the Stars). Let's see - game 2 a puck goes in off the HAND in a questionable play - we'll let that one stand. Game 3 a puck goes in off a skate in a questionable play - we'll overturn that one. Is it a coincidence that both calls go Buffalo's way? I don't think so.

If that was a distinct kicking motion, then someone needs to kick the video replay officials in the can so they can appreciate what a kciking motion truly is.

Again - let's be consistent.

Even when the Rangers win their whiny wimpy fans cry. STFU

Jim from Woodbury wrote:

<quoted text>
And uhhh, yeah, that has an affect on the outcome of the game how?
When the officials and video review hate you, that is when it has an affect on the game.
I can't stand NBC and Versdus by the way, I would just rather every game be on MSG.

I never said it DID have an effect on the outcome, only that NBC would love for the Rangers to advance for obvious reasons.

I agree with you about NBC and Versus, my personal preference would be to be able to watch all these games on the CBC.

Blue Seat Boneheads wrote:

Even when the Rangers win their whiny wimpy fans cry. STFU

Who's whinning? Just stating the facts and moving on.

This happens every playoff season, some teams get borderline calls against them by officials who have a gripe against them. The attitude of the refs needs to change to be more neutral. I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Blue Seat Boneheads wrote:

Even when the Rangers win their whiny wimpy fans cry. STFU

Hmm, I'll bet you were one of the Islander fans whining the first round.

Anybody watch the west coast games? If those games had the officials of the Sabres-Ranger games the west coast games would be played five on four or five on three for the entire game.