Penalties in Leafs/Lightning series shockingly unbalanced
The entire Stanley Cup Playoffs so far have been noticeably different. "playoff hockey" has uncharacteristically been a no-show, with the rule book being thrown at players and calls that, in the past, would never have been thought of as a punishable infraction.
The stats don't lie, penalties in the 2022 Playoffs have been increasingly high. Compared to all the other series going on, one series sticks out like a sore thumb for the number of infractions called, and you guessed it, that would be the Leafs/Lightning.
According to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, the Leafs have been shorthanded 23 times and the Lightning 18 times for a combined 41 power-play opportunities. For a comparable, in the Penguins/Rangers series, there has been a combined total of 21 power-plays altogether.
If you've been watching, the number of stick infractions being called and after-the-whistle shenanigans is a head-scratcher for such high-stakes on each and every game. The NHL has been open about cracking down during these playoffs, but it's gotten to the point for the Leafs and Lightning where it's become a penalty parade. Both Jon Cooper and Sheldon Keefe have voiced their opinions/concerns to the media, and leaders on the ice such as Victor Hedman and John Tavares (who are usually cool-mannered) have shown their frustration has reached a boiling point.
Calls are up league-wide raising eyebrows, but for the Leafs and Lighting as well as the fans, it's been outlandish. If there's to be any meaningful hockey being played down the stretch, something will have to give for some of these ticky-tack calls and whistle-happy refs.
