The NHL has fined Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenne-ville $10,000 for harsh criticism of officiating in his team's loss to Detroit in Game 4 of the Western Conference final on Sunday.
Quenneville fumed over a roughing call against Matt Walker during a scrum as the first period ended. The Red Wings scored on the ensuing power play 1 minute, 13 seconds into the second period extending their lead to 3-0, and went on to win, 6-1, and take a 3-1 edge in the series.
"I think we witnessed probably the worst call in the history of sports there," Quenneville said after the game. "Nothing play.
"They scored, it's 3-0. They ruined a good hockey game and absolutely destroyed what was going on the ice . . . Never seen anything like it."
The Blackhawks will try to avoid elimination tonight in Detroit.
Noteworthy
* If All-Star center Eric Staal doesn't start producing soon, he might have to wait a while before his next chance to score.
As Staal goes in this postseason, so go the Carolina Hurricanes. They have won seven playoff games in which he has scored, and are 1-9 when he doesn't.
One reason the Hurricanes enter tonight's Game 4 in danger of being swept out of the Eastern Conference final by the surging Penguins is the lack of production from their franchise player.
"I'm counted on to score goals and counted on to produce offensively," Staal said yesterday. "I need to be a little bit better in my end of the rink and focus on that first, and everything else kind of takes care of itself." *
