Buffalo Sabres Star Calls Out The Officials After He Admits To Favouring The Rangers
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson expressed his frustration after getting ejected from the game last night, particularly for a penalty he received after fighting Rangers rookie Willie Cuylle. Johnson received an additional 22 penalty minutes for an incident earlier in the game, contributing to his outrage.
Adding to the controversy, the Rangers had four powerplay opportunities compared to the Sabres' one throughout the entire game.
Johnson didn't hold back, stating,
"I don't know if there's a gray area with the instigator or what have you, but that's not an instigator. That's two willing combatants that both accept a fight after what I thought was a hit on my partner, a young player in a vulnerable spot, and he needed to answer the bell for that. I thought it was ridiculous. I'd like to say more, even if I get fined. I really don't care. I thought it was BS."
Even after the OT loss, Johnson remained upset, revealing that the ref told the Sabres' bench he received the instigator penalty because they complained too much in the first period.
This situation raises concerns about biased officiating, as the referees, Jake Brenk and Carter Sandlak, are known for favoring the home team. Sandlak has a 79% home team winning percentage, while Brenk stands at 65%. During this game, the Rangers were the home team.
Penalizing a player based on a perceived grudge from the first period is deemed unacceptable, and many believe the NHL should investigate the incident, although it remains uncertain if that will happen.
| POLL | ||
Do you think this was a fair call by the officials? | ||
| Yes | 189 | 33 % |
| No | 384 | 67 % |
| List of polls | ||
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