This is why people don't think the NHL is serious about cleaning up the game.To review: why is fighting permitted in hockey? Answer: because the officiating is bad.
And hoo boy, is the officiating bad.
For example, on Saturday's game against the Rangers, Ottawa player Konopha is sent off for a five minute major after boarding Ansimov:
You know, boarding is where you hit an opposing player from behind into the boards. (Note to refs: the penalized player is supposed to be behind the injured player, and injured players generally miss a shift.)
Yeah. Oops.
Next, here's a screen grab of the "incidental contact" made between the Rangers' Wolski's elbow and Alfredsson's head:
Video here.
Derrick at the Senday Observer makes the case that this totally blows Brendan Shanahan's credibility right into orbit -- if not the NHL's credibility too. And he's right.
So much for integrity. So much for discipline. So much for separating acts from intent.
I mean, you might expect this kind of "regulation-free" hockey during the playoffs, but this is just a meaningless Saturday afternoon regular season game, the kind that nobody will remember in five months.
But of course, nobody else cares.
Good on the rest of the team to claw the win back from the refs.
