Chances are that game 3 of the New Jersey/Ottawas series is now going to be summed up as having been all about the ‘interference’ Ottawa’s Fischer ran on Brodeur on the game winning goal. Never mind that Ottawa out played the Devils, and deserved the win. And you can bet going forward the Devils will be, and have already begun, harping on it,–albeit somewhat delicately, so as not to risk looking too much like whiners, and being fined–so as to spin things with the refs for the next games.
What really happened, though, is Brodeur tried doing a little academy-award-winning acting and screwed himself up for the subsequent shot by Preissing, hoping to get a call from the refs (even before Preissing shot, and certainly to ultimately nullify the goal), which never came. And rightly so. While I’m all in favour of protecting the goalies, the reality now in the NHL is that goaltender ‘acting’ has clearly gotten out of hand. Kiprusoff somewhat, but Turco especially and now Brodeur are a few of the worst offenders that come to mind. As with diving in general, until the refs have the guts to call it and not let goalies get away with it, the dramatics will only continue and worsen. It’s not great for the game to see these ham-sters feigning mortal injuries, especially when it is some of these same tenders dishing it out ( the slashing and jabbing) in earnest, and getting away with it.
Brodeur should be ashamed of himself. It was THE blemish on an incredible effort. And it cost him– as it should have.