Nice work, Kerry Frasier and Dan O'Rourke.
When you miss the blatant interference and knee-on-knee hit that directly results in the game winning goal, you have failed at your job.
Not only did Ryan Getzlaf's cheap shot on Barret Jackman clear out a defender around the Blues' net, but the lane created when Jackman was unable to get up due to the injury to his knee was used by rookie Matt Belesky to go to the net and scoop a rebound into the net.
I don't even blame Getzlaf because if you're not cheatin', you're not tryin', but I certainly blame the referees for missing a play that was at least one penalty and possibly an intent to injure depending on how you read it.
They say that refereeing a hockey game is the hardest of any sport. Sure, whatever. This was a blatant interference right in the middle of the play. Referees are like defensive defensemen: it's a compliment if you don't mention them much.
Again, nice work Kerry Fraser and Dan O'Rourke.
Some other notes:
- As Brad noticed in the GDT, Patrik Berglund looks like a man reborn with the weight of Andy Murray off his shoulders. I guess you all can keep wearing your No. 21 jerseys to games with pride.
- This may fast becoming my new mantra, but is there any way the team could make it a priority to head into one of these seasons with an actual starting netminder as the starter? Not a "damn he was good as a backup, maybe he'll be a good starter" starter, but a bonafide "he steals games and wins close games in the third period" starter. Bitch at me all you want, but Manny Legace, Chris Mason and Ty Conklin are hardly the kind of goaltenders that teams stay up late worrying about.
- Haters can hate and yes, he's probably overpaid, but I like that Barret Jackman. Dude is one of those warriors of hockey. He'll never be as good as we hoped when he won the Calder, but we're gonna miss him when he's gone.
- As the new coach, don't you think you have the right to pull the 'C' off a guy and hand it to someone else? Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if that didn't happen once Davis Payne got more familiar with his team. Brewer was elected by his teammates. As far as I'm concerned, leadership shouldn't be decided by a popularity contest. I'd rather have it be a guy who doesn't care about being popular and would rather be a guy who is fulfilling the mandate of his coach.
- As for the kids; OK, you won the war of youth vs the coach. The ownership has sent the message and this is your team now. Time to step up and make it your team. The keys to dad's car are in your nervous, sweaty hands. Let's see what that thing can do.
Kings (get prepped by going to one of my favorites: Battle of Cali) on Saturday and the Blues have had problems with them this year. What's it gonna be?
Oh, and yeah, we'll be posting we've posted the video of the interferance/clip/non-call/game-winner when it's available. Believe that. Watch Jackman and you'll see the whole thing. Unlike Fraser and O'Rourke.