When did the NHL become professional wrestling with scripted outcomes ?

[Let's Go Rangers]

Unbelievable ( no, actually not surprising given the NHL's desire to have the Caps advance )
Look like no action after Ovechkin left his feet and blasted Dan Girardi in the head during the second period of game 4.

If it was the other way around, Im guessing NY would get a major and game misconduct + a suspension.

Ovechkin has a long history of this type of behavior and has been suspended on a few occasions during the regular season for this type of cheap shot.

Not hitting him with at least a 3-5 gamer for this shot shows the Caps are untouchable.

I look for the Caps to be taking runs at the Rangers tonight and game 6, and then takes runs vs New Jersey all next round.

When did the NHL become professional wrestling with scripted outcomes?

[MTek]

All NHL GM's should be officially put on notice that the "clutch and Grab" style of Hockey has returned.
The free-wheeling, remove the 3 line pass days that were supposedly gone forever but have returned with a vengeance

The Rangers, Capitals, Devils and Kings are all playing the same way...
*Puck gets dumped in deep - stand up the attacker at the blue line, and drive him into the boards, although this is textbook interference
*Puck along the backboard of the offensive zone - Pin your opponent against the boards and keep him there - even thought the puck isn't near him
* Offensive transition from the defensive zone to the offensive zone - Hook his waist, hold his stick, pull his jersey restrict his speed

I'm truly witnessing 90's hockey all over again. It is not coincidence that high scoring teams are being held to 1 or 2 goal consistently, the whole reason of teams building smaller, faster teams was to take advantage of the new freewheeling style that we enjoyed for a few years, now slowly but surely converting back to clutch and grab, slower bigger defense men simply hold, grasp and tackle in front of the net preventing any 2nd and 3rd chances

Yes, by my avatar, I'm a Flyers fan, but I also have seen this done to the Canucks and the Blues by LA and the Capitals by the Rangers

All is fair in playoff hockey, it just sucks that there's 2 separate seasons and 2 separate sets of rules and the best "team" does not always win because whats a penalty October through March isn't a penalty April through June

[Let's Go Rangers]

I have noticed a lot of neutral ice holding up of players in all series.

The "swallow the whistle" playoffs isnt even the case anymore, the

I think the Rangers have had a penalty called against them in the third period of every game this series.

Some were legit, but earlier in the game, worst examples had been let go without a whistle.

The game 4 slash was an absolute joke in a 2-2 game with 6 minutes left.

The fact that the Kentucky Derby was later and a triple OT game could run into that time slot probably had nothing to do with that call.

Purely coincidence

[dredmahawkus]

Washington is giving up the neutral zone and just standing 4 guys in front of the net. Kinda lame ass hockey! Bruins couldn't get through it. Looks like NYR won't either.

[DennisGreen]

All NHL GM's should be officially put on notice that the "clutch and Grab" style of Hockey has returned.
The free-wheeling, remove the 3 line pass days that were supposedly gone forever but have returned with a vengeance

The Rangers, Capitals, Devils and Kings are all playing the same way...
*Puck gets dumped in deep - stand up the attacker at the blue line, and drive him into the boards, although this is textbook interference
*Puck along the backboard of the offensive zone - Pin your opponent against the boards and keep him there - even thought the puck isn't near him
* Offensive transition from the defensive zone to the offensive zone - Hook his waist, hold his stick, pull his jersey restrict his speed

I'm truly witnessing 90's hockey all over again. It is not coincidence that high scoring teams are being held to 1 or 2 goal consistently, the whole reason of teams building smaller, faster teams was to take advantage of the new freewheeling style that we enjoyed for a few years, now slowly but surely converting back to clutch and grab, slower bigger defense men simply hold, grasp and tackle in front of the net preventing any 2nd and 3rd chances

Yes, by my avatar, I'm a Flyers fan, but I also have seen this done to the Canucks and the Blues by LA and the Capitals by the Rangers

All is fair in playoff hockey, it just sucks that there's 2 separate seasons and 2 separate sets of rules and the best "team" does not always win because whats a penalty October through March isn't a penalty April through June

Nailed it.

Bettman will probably take some counter-measures if the game continues trending in the defensive direction. He wants the game to be high-scoring and more exciting mostly for the US market. The game was really getting exciting and rewarding the skilled teams it's unfortunate it's taking a step back into the grind and plug style again.

[lunchbawks]

its playoff hockey get used to it.

[a4u2fear]

When I saw scripted outcomes I have to disagree, look at the teams remaining! Pretty sure the NHL didn't want it this way. Or maybe they did.

[k13]

A really bad script, everyone already stopped watching...

[Winnipeg Jets]

imagine an la-devils cup final. disgusting.

p.s. azn bluff would love it.

[face]

the kings are fine to watch, devils more interesting than rangers or capitals imo

best games i watched all year were kings games, kings vs. sharks games were really good