Rick McAdoo wrote:
> 1. If others saw the game, or can review the tape, did Farkas try to trip
> O'Connell at the last second (which I couldn't tell)?  If he did, then it
> was a good call and this question is moot.  Or, did others think this
> was a questionable call, particularly at that time of the game and under
> those circumstances?  Should a referee "require" a more severe or
> obvious penalty before calling one late in the game?  (College refs are
> more prone to call late penalties than NHL refs, for sure.)
 
This is a tough call.  I just watched the replay again, and I can't say
for certain, but yes, I think Farkas did try to impede O'Connell.  You
can see Farkas make a slight turn to the left, toward O'Connell, just
before the collision.  It looked to me like O'Connell would have passed
behind Farkas if Farkas hadn't turned.  But this opinion was made after
watching the slo-mo numerous times, and Benedetto had one shot at it.
 
What was more disturbing, frankly, was that Benedetto called that
interference penalty, which was way behind the play, after letting a
couple of blatant infractions go in the previous minutes.  Powers was
hooked down by Kelleher and tripped by Poti on a shorthanded breakaway
attempt -- no call.  A minute later, O'Connell was blatantly pulled down
by Pierandri as he was about to receive a pass in front of the BC net --
again, no call.  Both of these "infractions" directly affected play, and
neither was called.  To then call Farkas for a behind-the-play trip is
not what I call good officiating.  I thought Benedetto called a good
game in the first two periods, but his third period left a lot to be
desired.
 
Chris
 
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