NHL commissioner Gary Bettman met with a small group of reporters before the Stars-Avalanche game Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center following an Avalanche reception for corporate sponsors.
Bettman said he believed playoff referees have been heeding the league mandate to maintain the anti-obstruction standards in force during the regular season.
“I think the officials are doing what we’ve asked them to do all season, and that’s uphold the standard, regardless of time or situation,” Bettman said. “That’s what we promised at the start of the season we’d do, and I know there were some skeptics who said we wouldn’t make it to Thanksgiving or Christmas or to the Olympics or through the regular season or into the playoffs. But the officials are doing a terrific job.”
Bettman scoffed at the widespread perception referees might be prone to being whistle-happy in the games Bettman attends.
“First of all, if this were 25 years ago, perhaps,” Bettman said. “But the people watching the game that the officials are more concerned about are not me. It’s the (league officiating) guys in Toronto. It’s (director of officiating) Steve Walkom.
“I’m here tonight, but so, for example, is Steve Walkom. First of all, I don’t think they care who’s here, I think they’re just out doing their jobs to the best of their ability, and that’s what makes them so good. But I don’t think my presence has anything to do with the way the game gets called. … Would it be any different if I were sitting at home with the telephone nearby? In fact, sitting at home, I get the benefit of replay. That talk about my presence influencing the way the game is called is a little silly.”
Sakic ties Lemieux
Joe Sakic’s first-period goal tied him with former teammate Claude Lemieux for eighth place on the all-time NHL playoff goals list with 80. Wayne Gretzky leads with 122.
Still not talking
Stars coach Dave Tippett and close friend Joel Quenneville, the Avs’ coach, have not talked since before the series began.
“We’ll wait until after the series before we chat,” Tippett said.
Stars simplify
Before Game 3, Dallas captain Mike Modano said being down 2-0 was no reason to take chances offensively.
He said chipping the puck off the boards, instead of through or beside defenders’ skates, and dumping the puck into the corner, instead of attempting a shot that could be blocked, are ways Dallas could climb back into the series.
“It’s an uphill battle, we know that,” Modano said. “(We need) to simplify our game and make it really easy for everybody, with and without the puck.
“You make the smart play, and not really take too many chances. When you’re creative, be smart.”
