Anything you can do, I can do better

Not to be outdone by the "referees" in the NFL, the NHL referees decided to close their eyes and decide games themselves based on nothing they actually saw on the ice.

First, in Tampa, the Avs and Bolts went to a shootout. Tampa Bay shot first and missed their first two shots. Milan Hejduk was the second shooter for Colorado, and made a move to goalie Mike Smith's (WTF! This is hockey! This better be pronounced mi-shay smu-the-lay) right. Just before making the move, Smith reached out to poke check Hejduk, but he was still too far away. As Milan made his move, Smith followed, swinging his stick over as well, putting it in an awkward position. He reached up with his blocker to make the save, and dropped his stick in the process. Somehow, the refs gathered that he was throwing his stick, and awarded the goal to Hejduk. They awarded a game-winning goal to a guy who didn't score, and for a play that the referees could not have seen.

Then in overtime in Dallas, Manny Malhotra drove the net on Marty Turco, who made the save. The puck then caromed off Malhotra's skate and in. Again, somehow the refs saw a distinct kicking motion, and disallowed the goal. Disallowing a game-winning goal on a play they could not have seen. Dallas went on to win in a shootout. Even the reply refs blew this one.

At least the Wings game was never in doubt, much thanks to Evgeni Nabakov not being able to see the puck apparently. Wings win 6-0, and hopefully gain some confidence and momentum going forward on the defensive end. After the first 10 minutes completely in the Wings end, Franzen sent a normally inicuous shot toward the net that Nabakov reacted to much too late. That got the Wings going, and it was all Detroit from there on. The Sharks looked like they played an overtime game the night before. They just kinda looked sluggish. Good for the Wings to stick it to them while they were down.

I'll post the Youtube when it goes up, but Western Michigan alumni Joe Corvo got an OT winner that was unbelievable for Carolina as well against Florida. He held the puck on defense for about 6 and a half minutes, and had a wide open net to score in. Awesome.

Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, the Penguins keep showing why there is no less likeable team in sports. Hockey Jesus Sydney Crosby continues to whine and cry his way getting the benefit of damn near every call, actually takes a roughing penalty out of frustration, and Brooks Orpik. Brooks Orpik got run into by an Atlanta Thrasher from behind, after that Thrasher was knocked down by Orpik's defense partner, and he turns and starts throwing haymakers with his glove on. That's douche-tastic in and of itself, but in doing so, he left his assignment, and Atlants scored on the play. Nice work Brooks, keep up the good work. Just another douche on a completely douchey team, led by their constantly whining coach with his horrible French accent.