NHL accused of rigging Oilers vs. Panthers finals

This year's Stanley Cup Finals has become one of the least exciting in a while, with the Florida Panthers absolutely dominating the Edmonton Oilers. Despite the star-studded forward lineup in the Canadian team, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has only let five goals through, putting the team ahead 3-0 in the series.

However, Oilers fans are unconvinced that the outcomes have not come entirely from the core five's lack of production. Many Edmonton loyalists have questioned the integrity of the referees and the NHL after a series of suspicious calls were analyzed. The first of the referees in question is Steve Kozari, who was accused of handing the Cup to Florida after calling a goalie interference penalty on Corey Perry.

The other referee under suspicion is #9, Dan O'Rourke. O'Rourke's calls have proven more beneficial to the Panthers after an analysis of the game results was released. Florida has won 13 of the last 14 games he refereed, while the Edmonton Oilers are down every postseason game he has done the same.

Though the statistics concern many, it is difficult to determine that this resulted from the NHL and refereeing instead of Florida's game success. Yet, now only one game away from a Stanley Cup sweep, the Panthers are probably hoping to continue seeing these two on the ice, regardless of their intentions. Hopefully, the league can assuage the fans' worries, otherwise, they may have a lot more to answer for.

Source: House of Hockey
NHL faces accusations of rigging the Oilers Vs. Panthers Finals