The NHL should owe the Toronto Maple Leafs 2 points because of "Tim Peel Night"

In honor of the worst referee in NHL history, the most poorly officiated game of the year is dubbed "Tim Peel Night" (at least in some circles on the internet, anyway) and last night this inauspicious event cost the Toronto Maple Leafs two points and a well earned victory.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were the better team in every way last night - they were faster, they got to more loose pucks, they had the puck more, and they had an edge in scoring chances. The Leafs weren't dominant and they didn't deserve to win in a blowout, but there isn't any doubt about who was the better team last night. (stats naturalstatttrick.com).

Pittsburgh scored two power-play goals on four minor penalties against the Leafs. The Leafs, meanwhile recieved just two calls in their favor. Officiating was the deciding factor in this joke of a game.

Pittsburgh had multiple uncalled high-sticks, they dove in embarassing fashion, the calls against the Leafs - escpecially the Pacioretty one - were lame and weak. The Leafs lost a one-goal game because Pittsburgh scored two PP goals - including the game winner, which was such a cheap call against Matthews in the ozone.

The Penguins celebrate "Tim Peel Night"; the Toronto Maple Leafs do not

The Penguins also scored a goal that Woll had no chance on, as a wide shot went off the boards and perfectly came back to the Penguins' player who burried it. In comparison, the Leafs hit about eight goalposts, including Matthew Knies with a wide open net to potentially tie the game in the third.

Some good things about this game were that Max Pacioretty returned, and Berube put him with Matthews and Marner, which is just a super cool and fun line, even if I'd prefer Marner to have his own line away from Matthews. That said, they didn't really have too much success, other than the Marner 5v5 goal.

Both Pacioretty and Matthews took penalties (though both were crap calls) and Pittsburgh generally controlled play while they were out there, with the rest of the Leafs lineup doing much better (though Pittsburgh is essentially a one-line team and the non-Matthews lines had much easier minutes).

All three were great, and Marner scored another two points, and has 11 multi-point games in his last 14. His goal was especially impressive. Marner is now just four points off the NHL lead. Despite a good start in the first period, and almost scoring a goal, Oliver Ekman-Larsson once again finished with the worst stats on the Leafs blue-line.

Scratching Grebenkin for Pacioretty was kind of a bummer, no offense to the Nylanders, but I'd rather play Grebenkin over Alex, and both over Reaves, who inexplicably keeps playing.

Regardless, the Leafs didn't deserve to lose this game - they were the better team, and while I'm joking about the NHL owing them two points (it's a play on the Tim Peel make-up call thing) the fact is we deserve better officiating than the NHL is currently providing.