Article: How Badly Did Referees Cost the Wild In Game 4?

[Tony Abbott]

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[IllicitFive]

While the refs had some WTF moments, (that trip call towards the end stands out as the biggest one) I can't put the blame on them.  The number of odd man rushes and breakaways that got stopped.... tough to win when that many opportunities are not cashed in on.  I think mostly the game gets chalked up to Otter being a wall in that game and bounces not going our way.  Best of 3 going forward, just need to bury the chances when they come.

After the game I wasn't mad at how it played out, I feel the wild out played the stars , had more dangerous chances and did what they should do to win, just no puck luck. 2 or 3 more games like the last games 3 and 4 and I feel the wild win the series. Just need to bury 1 or 2 of those big opportunities. 

[MNCountryLife]

No doubt bad calls.  The first one was a clean hit.  Refs just didn't like the severity of it so called it.  It's a bad call... but I get it.. at that stage of the game they are trying to keep the game civil.  The 2nd one was downright disgraceful.  The Refs should be embarrassed.  The guy jumps out of the way and cross checks Foligno in the head causing blood.  So not only was he not tripped, but the Wild should have had a 4 minute power play.  That certainly changes the odds.  Foligno's leg clearly tucks in below him before contact is made so there is zero chance a trip is a valid call.

[MNCountryLife]

I will say, the Wild played well.  They played the right way and played hard.  They had ample chances and just didn't get the puck luck.  It happens.  If they stay strong and keep that up there is a solid chance they win the next game.  Finish with Pride by playing the right way.  

[IllicitFive]

55 minutes ago, MNCountryLife said:

No doubt bad calls.  The first one was a clean hit.  Refs just didn't like the severity of it so called it.  It's a bad call... but I get it.. at that stage of the game they are trying to keep the game civil.  The 2nd one was downright disgraceful.  The Refs should be embarrassed.  The guy jumps out of the way and cross checks Foligno in the head causing blood.  So not only was he not tripped, but the Wild should have had a 4 minute power play.  That certainly changes the odds.  Foligno's leg clearly tucks in below him before contact is made so there is zero chance a trip is a valid call.

Absolutely a terrible night for the stripes. There were bad calls going both ways, unfortunately the timing of the final one was terrible. But the trip on Zuccarello and an interference call on Dallas on Nyquist were both equally bad and should not have been called.  Everyone knows the refs are bad, most of all the teams on the ice and have to do everything possible to either take advantage or over come it, both things the wild have struggled with mightily, Which is why it is a 2-2 series.

[mnfaninnc]

That deserve-o-meter seems a little off to me. If the Wild can convert on the 2-1s & breakaways, I would think it's a different game.  Score is 0-0 when those occurred and we should have been able to convert. 

Oettinger has let goals in stick side high. Can anyone understand why Kaprizov went 5 hole? Foligno didn't have much of a chance to do anything else on his.  Hartsy should have gone stick side as well.  

Last Foligno penalty when he gets up bloodied: If you're going to call him for tripping, you have to even it up with high sticking-blood drawn double minor. It's the only way they can call it.  I think they went to commercial break right after the call, so the referees should have conferenced, and, perhaps they did?  Someone's got to see that high stick, though, and I think on blood, even the linesmen can chime in.

[B1GKappa97]

Word. Do better on the PK and the calls don't matter.

We're playing how we should at even strength, but the PK is absolutely killing us. Outside of the game 2 shellacking where we played like complete garbage from top to bottom, the Stars have just 6 total goals across the 3 other games. 

4 of those are PPG. If the PK steps up and starts doing their job better, we ought to be able to reach the next round.