NHL/E$PN are acting as if they don't care what optics look like with calls these days. To much money is on-the-line now. But.... if folks keep consuming product, why change? Just look at cost TV pays for game/conference rights alone. They're not chancing that to chance, and players who get paid millions to boot, are not biting hand that feeds them, If anyone decides to fight back: that coach, team, or player gets smacked with even worse call punishment in games/series.
NHL/E$PN will do whatever gives them best odds of getting story-lines, match-ups, this player, or that player, and certain teams they want. Shoot, even my favorite team Lightning, who's low on love spectrum from NHL, got serious series-extending-bone during game 3 in rd 1. Lightning got 4 PP's -vs- 0 PP's for Florida that game. But..... when push came to shove. Game 5 had 2 goalie interference calls go against Lightning, that were no where near as bad as Bennett's. Those 2 calls took 2 goals away from Lightning, Those calls swung close 1-1 game, prevented Lightning from 2-1 lead 1st, and robbed Sergachev from his moment when his 2nd goal was called off(Was good goal). There was no way NHL/E$PN was giving belief to core that's proven they can win series down 0-2 and 2-3. Like I said, there's only so much series extending love for those.... "Who shall not pass". If obvious what NHL/E$PN wants in East these playoffs, they want.........
Florida Tkachuk's -vs- New York Ranger$
(With dashes of series-extending spices mixed in along the way, yummy.....)
Love sports, but what I've witnessed last 10 or so yrs, is hard to deny anymore.. If your a fan of a team: best odds of your team winning "Cup" is to hope favorite team is so good. They can handle any styled game thrown their way. Only then, will a team have almost full control of their playoff destiny (AKA..... Back-to-Back Lightning). Stars are looking to be similar to this, a complete team that will adjust accordingly. Will that be enough, we'll see....