Crosby Rules

John Dellapina at The Daily News reports on Sidney Crosby getting the benefit of the doubt on penalties...

"Having been on the other side, when playing on Mario Lemieux's team often meant getting the benefit of the doubt, Jaromir Jagr will make no stink about the Crosby Rules now being in effect...

...The Penguins scored the game's pivotal goal late in the first period on a five-on-three power play awarded when Crosby's stick was whacked by the stick of Rangers penalty-killer Fredrik Sjostrom. The Rangers did not score the tying goal one minute into the third - nor did they get a power play - when Jagr couldn't tap a sitter into an unguarded net from behind Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury because he was being straight-jacketed by a hook from Pens defenseman Sergei Gonchar."

The Blueshirt Bulletin adds...

"So how much of a stretch is it for fans to make the leap to referees devoting that same level of attention to Sidney Darling, the NHL's prime marketing tool? When a referee looks right past Crosby's multiple cross-checks right in front of him to call a marginal Jagr hold across the ice, and then see Crosby cross-check again to ignite a post-whistle scrum and still leave him without penalty, what is a Ranger fan to think? When a referee watches Michal Rozsival and Eric Staal coming right at him in pursuit of a puck and sees Staal put his arm out to fend off Rozsival and Rozsival do the same, and he penalizes only Rozsival, what is a Ranger fan to think? When Martin Straka is picked off coming in for a puck without an arm being raised and then is sent off for another marginal hook because Staal took a dive as the puck went the other way, what is a Ranger fan to think?

When Petr Prucha off all people is called for roughing when landing a clean hit, but Scott Gomez can be hit freely from behind into the boards, what is a Ranger fan to think? When Jagr is interfered with from behind, hooked off a sure goal, interfered with again, with nary a call, but Sidney Darling throws his head back so artfully to draw a high-sticking call that never came near his face, and Sidney Darling draws a slashing penalty to his wrists while he is getting away with a hook, and the good folks at NBC turn a blind eye -- and even apologize to him for suggesting that he "sold" a call after he challenged them on it during the game! -- just what is a Ranger fan to think?"

...I don't necessarily mind superstars getting the benefit of the doubt, but it has to go both ways. Jagr gets mugged on a gamely basis without a sniff of a penalty (although with our power play it wouldn't really matter). This is where I think Renney showing some emotion or possibly calling out the officials could help us out. By doing this, it could put tonight's game under the microscope and hopefully even the officiating out.