I'll start by saying that this will NOT be my last post of the season. I will do some season ending stuff this week that will include an attempt to hand out some letter grades and provide a bit of a glimpse forward as to what we might see next season from the team.
First, let's get to last night....
I really do not believe that it would have had an impact on the outcome of the game... but the WHL and it's officials owe the Thunderbirds, their fans and Rob Sumner an apology.
I assume you all know what I'm talking about... but if you don't, here is what happened.
At the 11:00 mark of the 3rd period, Levko Koper gets a cross checking penalty.
At the 11:24 mark of the 3rd period, Drayson Bowman gets a high sticking penalty.
At the 12:59 mark of the period, Prab Rai scores a Power Play goal. With one second left in the
Koper penalty... he should have come out of the box and :25 should have remained in the penalty to Drayson Bowman.
Instead, Bowman and Koper are both let out of the box and Bowman is allowed to skate around
for about 45 seconds before the play is stopped. The referees decide that Bowman just needs to go back in the box for 25 more seconds... there is no "too many men on the ice" penalty and there is no harm no foul.
Understandably, Sumner goes nuts, gets a bench minor and after Bowman comes out of the box the Chiefs score a power play goal to give Spokane the 4-2 lead. Sumner goes nuts again and gets tossed from the game.
I would have done the exact same thing... I totally get it... and the WHL should be ashamed of their referees and timekeepers making such a big mistake in such an important game. Tbirds later cut the lead to 4-3 before Spokane added an empty net goal for the final 5-3 tally.
The feeling sucks... it really does... I've been a Tbirds fan since I was about 6 or 7 years old in 1988 and the feeling never changes. The mantra of a Tbird fan is "wait til next year" and honestly it does get old to feel that way every season....
But I do believe that the future is bright in Kent and I believe we have only seen the beginning of a brand new glorious era of Thunderbirds hockey.
To the players we know will not be back... Greg Scott, Chris Cloud and Devon Leblanc.... you guys will be missed. Every player that comes through Seattle winds up leaving a lasting memory with the die hard fans here and these three are no exception. I will have more on these three when I do letter grades later this week.
Hockey Challenge 2014
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21 comments :
Can you clarify on exactly how Bowman got out of the box.
Did they clear his penalty off the clock and let him out of the box?
Or did he leave on his own while his penalty was still on the clock for another 25 seconds?
Unless he leaves on his own while his time is still on the clock I don't see why a too many men penalty would be called.
The reason Bowman came out early is because the time keeper took the wrong penalty off when we scored on the 5 on 3. It really sucks that it happened but I would have to think its not Bowmans fault that they let him out. The only thing that I don't understand is what if Bowman scored on us when he came out, he did have a shot on goal. Would the goal stand and he goes back in the penalty box? Would they take the goal away and send him back to the box? I think they need to make the refs more accountable for the stupid thing they do, not just in this situation. i.e. suspend them.
There wouldn't be a too many men on the ice call if they let him out of the box. Next they wouldn't put the 45 sec. back on the clock that time elapsed, so all the refs could do is put him back in the box for the remainder of the penalty. So now we know the rules why would your head coach in an elimination game be so stupid to erupt and take a bench minor penalty? Not very smart the call was already made and they weren't changing their mind, so all he did was help cost them the game and the series.
TIME FOR A NEW COACH.
and see that is sort of my point. What if Bowman goes out and scores in that time... that technically is too many men on the ice. It shouldn't matter that the timekeepers and referees messed up. It is the job of the referee to ensure that these mistakes aren't made.
I would hardly say it cost them the series and I'm not convinced it even cost them the game... let's get serious here.
I'm sorry, but Bowman should know that his penalty was after Koper's (by approx 30 seconds) and thus he should know that he won't becoming out of the penalty box at the same time as Koper. Players are responsible for their actions. And the off ice officials in Spokane need a little reprimand too. The issue needs to be more black and white though.
And if all they were going to do was put Bowman back in the box for :24 seconds and essentially make it a "do over", then they should have reset the game clock as well back to 9:48. Instead they didn't get it figured out until there was 6:47 remaining in the game, a full three minutes later after Bowman had already come out of the box played the puck, gone to the Spokane bench and come back out and had another shift.
The largest problem of this mess was Rob taking the 2:00 bench penalty. There was no way that the ref was going to change his mind and at that point Rob should have shut up.
I have no problem with a coach showing passion it was just bad timing. He should have been yelling and firing the team up two games before this.
It's not time for a new coach. Every coach in the league would have done the exact same thing, bad timing or not. And yes I mean EVERY coach.
That did not define our season, or the playoffs. I think next years schedule will be much better for us then it was this year.
A penalized player who leaves the penalty bench before his
penalty has expired, whether play is in progress or not,
shall incur an
additional minor penalty after serving his unexpired
penalty.
This is from the rulebook so why didnt Bowman get an additional penalty.. It does not state anything about whose fault it is, it simply says that if the player leaves early he gets another penalty, period!!
I got this from the whl rule book.
Rule 68- illegal substitution.
An illegal substitution shall be deemed to have occurred when a player enters the game illegally from either the players' bench(teammate not within the 5 foot limit refer to rule 74- too many men on the ice), from the penalty bench ( penatly has not expired yet)
The rule goes on and on but to that is really all you need to know. It should have been too many men and the refs should know that rule. its all there in black and white in the rule book if you would like to read it yourself.
sorry Mike you beat me to the punch.
No problem dude.
You see the real answer is that these refs don't know the rules themselves, which makes sense in a league where there are clueless as to who holds what record!
Has Farwell filed a grievance with the league??
Why file a grievence?? They will not overturn the call or the game. The WHL might and i say MIGHT not fine the coach.
The refs also might be a hard slap on the wrist. I guarantee you Coach received the bench minor for telling the refs they were wrong.
Just once I would like to hear from the ref, or umpire, or whoever makes a bad call, and hear what he thought happened. I tired of leagues prtecting referees. NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA they all protect the refs. I would love to hear it from the ref, " I missed it ", NO, but that will BEVER happen.
Brian in Sherwood
Brian, I agree TOTALLY. Refs should have to talk to the media just like everyone else. What is there to hide??
First off if the officials make the mistake its is not a "two many men" call. Second the intent of part two of your rule has to do with leaving the penalty box to join an altercation. Players are told when to leave the penalty box they do not just get up and go. If the off ice officials make the mistake and the refs miss it and catch it later its part of the game.
Why Sumner (who in most WHL circles deserves a pink slip after another weak season with good talent) was crying is because it took the momentum away from his T-Birds.
Bottom line is this T-Birds Fans. You came home series tied at one. You left your home rink down 3-1 in the series. That is not exceptable and honestly
So you are excusing a horrible mistake in a playoff game on the home ice of a team that played 13 playoff games there between last year and this year?
The outcome of the series and the bad officiating are two separate issues.
And Rob didn't over react at all. If it were I or even a coach like Dean Chenoweth the officials would have had water bottles lodged in their heads.
Don't know what the league said to the refs, but Herman was working the game in Saskatoon tonight.
Thank you, Tyler, for running this blog. It adds a lot to my enjoyment of the T-Birds and hockey.
Right he was working a Game 7 so of course nothing was done.. what a shock!
end of the day the T-Birds need a new coach.
Post your name so i dont have to call you Anonymous.
the intent of part two of your rule has to do with leaving the penalty box to join an altercation.
So what if that is the intent of the rule, he still left the box early. You going to try convince me that Bowman dosen't know how long a penalty is.
Anyways it dosent matter its not like they will give the game back. Enough. the refs are idiots.
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