Article: Marcus Foligno Calls Out 'Bullsh-t' Officiating In Game 4

[Thomas Williams]

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[B1GKappa97]

Yeah it bites but that's the playoffs for you. Sometimes the officials mess up. Those two calls were pretty weak imo and even if we got a makeup call late in the game, the two PPGs were the difference in this one. Its unfortunate but it happens.

I appreciate that Evason didn't pile onto the refs. They're an easy scapegoat but one that doesn't do us any good to blame. Its good that he recognizes that. The team brought the right intensity these last two games, so they just need to keep that up and we've got a great chance to win this series.

The PK though needs to get better, point blank period, regardless of how good or bad the refs are to us. If the PK is doing its job then it doesn't matter how many bad penalties are called because we aren't letting them score on ST and they're struggling against us in 5-on-5. 

Unfortunately the PK isn't doing its job enough in this series. Dallas is struggling to score at even-strength but our ST is handing them games while they're converting on damn near 50% of their PPs.

Change that and suddenly we're looking at a much more lopsided series instead of a tied one. Hopefully the team focuses on improving in that regard over the next 2 to 3 games and doesn't get too wrapped up blaming the refs for their misfortunate loss.  

Edited April 24, 2023 by B1GKappa97

[Willy the poor boy]

[Willy the poor boy]

I look for KK to get going from here on out and I like our chances in Game 5. Hopefully they stick with Gus in the crease.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Willy the poor boy

[Up North Guy]

1 hour ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Yeah it bites but that's the playoffs for you. Sometimes the officials mess up. Those two calls were pretty weak imo and even if we got a makeup call late in the game, the two PPGs were the difference in this one. Its unfortunate but it happens.

I appreciate that Evason didn't pile onto the refs. They're an easy scapegoat but one that doesn't do us any good to blame. Its good that he recognizes that. The team brought the right intensity these last two games, so they just need to keep that up and we've got a great chance to win this series.

The PK though needs to get better, point blank period, regardless of how good or bad the refs are to us. If the PK is doing its job then it doesn't matter how many bad penalties are called because we aren't letting them score on ST and they're struggling against us in 5-on-5. 

Unfortunately the PK isn't doing its job enough in this series. Dallas is struggling to score at even-strength but our ST is handing them games while they're converting on damn near 50% of their PPs.

Change that and suddenly we're looking at a much more lopsided series instead of a tied one. Hopefully the team focuses on improving in that regard over the next 2 to 3 games and doesn't get too wrapped up blaming the refs for their misfortunate loss.  

I hate to say it but missing Ekker and Shaw on the PK may be the difference. 

[Willy the poor boy]

16 minutes ago, Up North Guy said:

I hate to say it but missing Ekker and Shaw on the PK may be the difference. 

Absolutely. Especially Ek for his faceoffs and good stick

[Beast]

Refs were awful.  Inexcusably awful.  Should be removed from the playoffs after that.  But, let’s be honest, they were trying to even things up and go after Foligno for running guys like a psychopath - the league probably mandated it - and he earned it.  I just can’t lean on that excuse.  

We had about 5-6 odd man rushes and clean breakways.  If we can’t beat a goalie once in that many defensive breakdowns, we don’t deserve to win.  A number of other Grade As were shot wide or over the net, bungled one timers, shots right into the glove or breadbasket, etc.  We have long struggle with a lack of skill, and it reared its head in epic fashion last night.

We also need something out of Kaprisov.  I don’t care how many half-assed shot attempts he threw right into the goalies jersey logo.  He’s supposed to be an elite level scorer and superstar, and the team is being carried by a few trade deadline castoffs like Nyquist and Klingberg.  You want to accolades of being a superstar?  Play like one in the playoffs.  Get it done.  Enough excuses.  One good series out of 3 series losses (or soon to be) doesn’t impress me.  Step up in big games or you’re just Kevin Fiala.

Gus can’t let in that soft 5 hole goal to open up the scoring.  He’s been phenomenal,  but he didn’t look like it last night.  That had a number of posts, they could’ve easily scored 5-6 goals.  Bad games will happen.  Hard to get on him for not standing on his head again.  But, it is what it is.

We also got extremely lucky on both goals scored.  Dallas’ goalie probably should have had the shut out, which is absolutely inexcusable on home ice.

That’s just a choke job, plain and simple, and it’s likely now going to cost us the series.  It’s what this team does.  Vegas, St. Louis, now Dallas.  It seems they can’t handle the pressure of a playoff series.

Not much to say about coaching.  I would’ve put Sundqvuist in instead of Steel, myself, and had a similar center rotation to game 3.  But, I don’t think it really would’ve made a difference.  Didn’t really notice Steel at all.

Im very irked by that loss.  It’s absolutely disgusts me.  It just felt like Dallas was going to win from the beginning.

They can still come back and win the series, no doubt.  But now it’s a steep uphill battle and unlikely. Especially if they give that sieve Fleury another game, which they will.  Criticize me all you want for accepting reality and being pissed off about.  Those that wish to continue to delude themselves can go right ahead.  But, we needed those two home wins to take this series.

[Beast]

39 minutes ago, Up North Guy said:

I hate to say it but missing Ekker and Shaw on the PK may be the difference. 

That is big.  They’re 7 for 16, which is tough to overcome. 

If not for the lucky bounce off of Gaudreau on the PP last night we’d be sitting at about 17% (3 for 17).  Extrapolate that out and it’s roughly bottom 5 in the NHL.  The first unit has been bad.  Dallas has a great PK,  but when your first unit forwards have 2 powerplay goals in 17 chances (Kaprisov and Mojo each have 1), that hurts.

Some gambling context on the impact of last night’s choke job:

We opened the series with a +1900 odds to win the cup.  Dallas opener at +4500.  Strange numbers, but this is according to Covers.com (I believe they aggregate odds from fanduel, draft kings, mgm, etc.).  We’ve fallen to +2500 to +3000.  Dallas is +1600 to +2000.

Losing last night was a gut shot.

[IllicitFive]

16 minutes ago, Beast said:

They can still come back and win the series, no doubt.  But now it’s a steep uphill battle and unlikely. Especially if they give that sieve Fleury another game, which they will.  Criticize me all you want for accepting reality and being pissed off about.  Those that wish to continue to delude themselves can go right ahead.  But, we needed those two home wins to take this series.

I have to disagree strongly with you on this, or call it delusion, whatever, but we proved we can win on the road. As you stated you need to bury those chances on breakaways and odd man rushes but the fact ALL were stopped is an oddity. I will take a game like that every night, with those chances and bet that the Wild won't get walled on every opportunity.  Even with the L I felt they showed compete, no quit, and really only the specialty team play is what has let them down. Keep it tough and clean, stop a PP once in a while and should be able to win the series. Only 1 bad game, in game 2. Best of 3, pressure on Dallas, and the longer a series goes the more the physical play by the wild will take affect. See the previous series where Minnesota was in it, got bullied and couldn't keep going in games 6 and 7.

[mnfaninnc]

Usually, officiating in the playoffs isn't this bad. But, there's been a lot of turnover in senior officials the las few years, so this is a younger crop and you'll get bad calls and bad no calls.

The league needs to take a review of the game and officiating.  Will they? Likely not, at least publicly.  The Wild need to put a lot of pressure on the league and the only way to do that is to have the threat of losing their collective minds.  

Currently, we had 2 bad calls against Foligno.  Yet, the call for Nyquist and the tripping call for Zuccarello were bad too.  And, there were some bad non-calls that should have gone our way.  We're also owed 2 10s as both Hartman and Reaves were slapped with them for essentially nothing.  If you're frustrated and want a 10, then earn a 10 by taking it out on the opponent, not a soft little language foul. Also, young referees have a tendency to have rabbit ears and thin skin.  Let's see how they handle things when all hell breaks loose.

I'd like everyone to remember 1 thing. The last time we played a DeBoer team in the playoffs, the series was tied 3-3 and he had Ek and Brodin taken out on cheap hits in game 7.  I'd suggest we move it up a couple of games and take out Hintz and Robertson in game 5.  

[B1GKappa97]

2 hours ago, IllicitFive said:

 Even with the L I felt they showed compete, no quit, and really only the specialty team play is what has let them down. Keep it tough and clean, stop a PP once in a while and should be able to win the series. 

Exactly this. We've played exactly the way we need to play to beat Dallas in Games 1, 3 and 4. Game 2 sucked all around, but these last two home games were exactly how we needed to bounce back. 

Sucks we didn't get any puck luck in game 4, but if they keep playing like that the rest of the series they'll have a great chance to make it to the next round. And then maybe Ek comes back?

[IllicitFive]

12 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Currently, we had 2 bad calls against Foligno.  Yet, the call for Nyquist and the tripping call for Zuccarello were bad too.  And, there were some bad non-calls that should have gone our way.  We're also owed 2 10s as both Hartman and Reaves were slapped with them for essentially nothing.  If you're frustrated and want a 10, then earn a 10 by taking it out on the opponent, not a soft little language foul. Also, young referees have a tendency to have rabbit ears and thin skin.  Let's see how they handle things when all hell breaks loose.

 

I just posted basically the same thing mnfan, if they give a 10 for yelling at the ref might as well earn it. I am not advocating for attempts to injure mind you. But if this is how the refs are going to treat a playoff series it may only be a matter of time until all hell breaks loose.

[mnfaninnc]

13 minutes ago, IllicitFive said:

I just posted basically the same thing mnfan, if they give a 10 for yelling at the ref might as well earn it. I am not advocating for attempts to injure mind you. But if this is how the refs are going to treat a playoff series it may only be a matter of time until all hell breaks loose.

I wouldn't be either, except for past history against a DeBoer coached team.  Karma says go after his best players in game 5. My bet, you take out Hintz, Robertson, you'll also get Benn on suspension. Evason should review game 7 of the Vegas series on his day off today and remember just how egregious those cheap shots were.  Then, in game 5, send the freight train after those 2 players.  Remember, attrition is a strategy. 

[Mateo3xm]

10 hours ago, Willy the poor boy said:

I look for KK to get going from here on out and I like our chances in Game 5. Hopefully they stick with Gus in the crease.

I think Kap is hurt. He does not look the same.

he’s slower and almost moves gingerly around.

[Mateo3xm]

9 hours ago, Beast said:

Refs were awful.  Inexcusably awful.  Should be removed from the playoffs after that.  But, let’s be honest, they were trying to even things up and go after Foligno for running guys like a psychopath - the league probably mandated it - and he earned it.  I just can’t lean on that excuse.  

We had about 5-6 odd man rushes and clean breakways.  If we can’t beat a goalie once in that many defensive breakdowns, we don’t deserve to win.  A number of other Grade As were shot wide or over the net, bungled one timers, shots right into the glove or breadbasket, etc.  We have long struggle with a lack of skill, and it reared its head in epic fashion last night.

We also need something out of Kaprisov.  I don’t care how many half-assed shot attempts he threw right into the goalies jersey logo.  He’s supposed to be an elite level scorer and superstar, and the team is being carried by a few trade deadline castoffs like Nyquist and Klingberg.  You want to accolades of being a superstar?  Play like one in the playoffs.  Get it done.  Enough excuses.  One good series out of 3 series losses (or soon to be) doesn’t impress me.  Step up in big games or you’re just Kevin Fiala.

Gus can’t let in that soft 5 hole goal to open up the scoring.  He’s been phenomenal,  but he didn’t look like it last night.  That had a number of posts, they could’ve easily scored 5-6 goals.  Bad games will happen.  Hard to get on him for not standing on his head again.  But, it is what it is.

We also got extremely lucky on both goals scored.  Dallas’ goalie probably should have had the shut out, which is absolutely inexcusable on home ice.

That’s just a choke job, plain and simple, and it’s likely now going to cost us the series.  It’s what this team does.  Vegas, St. Louis, now Dallas.  It seems they can’t handle the pressure of a playoff series.

Not much to say about coaching.  I would’ve put Sundqvuist in instead of Steel, myself, and had a similar center rotation to game 3.  But, I don’t think it really would’ve made a difference.  Didn’t really notice Steel at all.

Im very irked by that loss.  It’s absolutely disgusts me.  It just felt like Dallas was going to win from the beginning.

They can still come back and win the series, no doubt.  But now it’s a steep uphill battle and unlikely. Especially if they give that sieve Fleury another game, which they will.  Criticize me all you want for accepting reality and being pissed off about.  Those that wish to continue to delude themselves can go right ahead.  But, we needed those two home wins to take this series.

Did it ever occur that KK is hurt?

he doesn’t not look healthy out there.

[mnfaninnc]

13 hours ago, Mateo3xm said:

I think Kap is hurt. He does not look the same.

he’s slower and almost moves gingerly around.

I thought Kaprizov came back at less than 100%. Specifically, he was not doing his usual 10/2 turns.  This past game, I thought he finally started to skate like he normally does, and his volume shooting finally came.  Results generally lag, so I'd expect results tonight.

[MNCountryLife]

I like the way the Wild are playing.  Disciplined and physical.  I thought it was the second game in a row they outplayed Dallas.  Special Teams is definitely hurting us.  Hope they figure it out.  Foligno needs to go out and play the same way.  He has been huge for this series.  Make the refs blow the whistle on clean hits.  Win or Lose I hope they keep playing quality hockey and force Dallas to earn it.  Avoid playing like they did in Game 2.