Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin fumed over the way the referees officiated the series after a Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers. The 27-year-old left wing even suggested a conspiracy that the series was fixed, according to the New York Daily News.
"The refeering ... you understand it yourself. How can there be no penalties at all (on one team) during the playoffs?" Ovechkin told a Russian reporter in Russian. "I am not saying there was a phone call from (the league), but someone just wanted Game 7. For the ratings. You know, the lockout, escrow, the league needs to make profit.
"I don't know whether the refs were predisposed against us or the league," he said. "But to not give obvious penalties (against the Rangers), while for us any little thing was immediately penalized."
Ovechkin could be alluding to Game 6, where the Rangers had five power plays to the Capital's zero. The Rangers went on to win and force a Game 7.
Game 7 featured 14 penalty minutes for the Capitals and four for the Rangers. Washington accumulated 74 minutes in the penalty box for the entire series, while the Rangers had only 40. In the last three games of the series, Washington was penalized for 36 minutes to the Ranger's 12, according to ESPN.
Ovechkin, who led the NHL with 32 goals during the regular season, scored only once in the series.
The NHL has not yet responded to Ovechkin's comments.
Watch analysts debate the merits of Ovechkin's theory below.
