Both sides are still talking about late call

The debate continued about the Ducks’ 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, with both sides staking out expected ground.

The Red Wings’ Marian Hossa poked in a rebound, only to have it waved off with a minute left. Replays indicated that referee Brad Watson blew his whistle as Hossa touched the puck.

Point: “He deemed it was frozen,” Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said. “Even if he doesn’t blow the whistle, if he deemed it was frozen in his mind, the play is dead. He got it right.”

Counterpoint: “My wife told me that I was too short with some of you last night, I apologize for being short,” said Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock, who immediately added, “I got to tell you, I got up this morning still feeling the same way. I have a hard time understanding when it is 2-2 why the game is not still going on. OK.”

Rebuttal: “We don’t need to apologize for the call,” Ducks center Todd Marchant said. “These things happen. You have to move on.”

Final thought: “I don’t see it getting any chippier,” Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said when asked if tension could escalate.

Out of the hospital

Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski was released from UCI Medical Center in Orange on Wednesday after spending about 18 hours there for treatment of the lung contusion he suffered when he took a puck in the chest during the second period. He is not expected to play tonight.

Carlyle said he will choose a replacement among Brett Festerling, Brendan Mikkelson and Brian Salcido.

While the Ducks were cheered by Wisniewski’s rapid recovery, they were still simmering over the elbow Tomas Holmstrom delivered to Wisniewski’s head even as the defenseman was struggling after being hit by the puck. The NHL did not punish Holmstrom for that blow.

“What would you think if you were doubled over gasping for air and then somebody gives you an elbow in the side of the head?” Carlyle asked. “How would you feel?”

Holmstrom said he didn’t intend to injure Wisniewski. “I didn’t see him there,” Holmstrom said. “I’m not that kind of player.”

That’s up for debate, but Babcock said neither side is adhering to the letter of the law.

“There could be penalties after every single whistle,” he said. “If you think Holmer was saying, ‘That guy’s hurting, I’ll go and elbow him in the head,’ come on. That’s not how hockey is played. There’s tons of penalties going on out there. I think it’s just a hard series.”

But a seething Carlyle said: “There were a few incidents last night that I’m sure left the [NHL’s] war room scanning tapes. . . . There were upper blows being delivered in various situations.”

Babcock, meanwhile, said, “There is a lot of skin flying around, it’s entertaining. That’s the way you play hockey.”

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