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Match #2: The same referee who pissed off Martin St-Louis against the Rangers in November
Marc-Olivier Cook
Match #2: The same referee who pissed off Martin St-Louis against the Rangers in November
Credit: I loved our match. I won’t mention the referees. – Martin St-Louis Remember this sentence? Martin St-Louis repeated it several times last November after a game against the New York Rangers. The officials had missed several calls during the game and at the end of the game Will Cuylle tripped Joel Armia and it was […]

I loved our match. I won’t mention the referees. – Martin St-Louis

Remember this sentence? Martin St-Louis repeated it several times last November after a game against the New York Rangers.

The officials had missed several calls during the game and at the end of the game Will Cuylle tripped Joel Armia and it was obvious as ever, but the officials decided not to crack down. The Rangers scored with 20 seconds left to run away with the win…

The CH head coach was in a tizzy after the game, and that’s to be expected.

The referees aren’t perfect, but it has to be fair anyway.

And that afternoon in New York, it wasn’t.

Kelly Sutherland was one of the referees in the match in November.

That said, Renaud Lavoie talked about it this morning on BPM Sports and also tweeted: Sutherland will also be one of the officials for the second game of the CH’s series against the Capitals tonight.

Let’s hope Sutherland doesn’t have a long memory and doesn’t want to penalize the CH in part because of Martin St-Louis’ exit after the game a few months ago…

We know that refereeing is different in the playoffs, and that there are many reasons for this.

Officials tend to put away their whistles to make way for more physical play… But then again, it has to be equal on both sides.

We also know that referees are tougher on players/coaches they don’t like as much.

It’s no secret, and that’s why the CH will have to make sure it’s perfect tonight… otherwise Kelly Sutherland – who has already hurt the Habs – might have a little fun.

But no matter: the Habs can’t worry about the referees tonight.

Instead, Martin St-Louis’ men need to find a way to start the game well, which hasn’t been the case for a few weeks now. The CH can’t afford to play catch-up field hockey, especially not in the playoffs… and they need to focus on what they can control.

Because it’s boring to say, but the Habs can’t do anything about the officials’ work. It has to show up in the right way to win the game, and that’s the message that needs to be sent into the room tonight before the game.


In a gust

– He deserves votes.

– That’s a good one.

– Evander Kane is back.

– Logique.

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