Matt Greene equated it to losing the family cat as a child.
Sitting in the penalty box twice and watching the Carolina Hurricanes score on both occasions in Game 5 Wednesday in Raleigh was tough on the Edmonton Oilers defenceman.
Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe feels the rookie is getting a raw deal from the officials.
"I think it's criminal," said Lowe. "I understand the referees tend to give the veterans the benefit of the doubt sometimes. But Matt's a heck of a hockey player and I don't think a lot of them know him yet, and they don't realize how good he is and how good he's going to be."
Greene took the consecutive penalties in Game 5, four minutes apart. He was whistled on a hooking infraction, then was called for holding.
Eric Staal scored on the first power play to tie the game 1-1. Ray Whitney scored on the second to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead.
TOUGH TO WATCH
"You feel like you let your team down," said Greene, 22. "It's one of those deals that you build it up in your head that this is the biggest game that I've ever played, and you want to do well and you want to contribute."
To Greene's relief, the Oilers were able to tie the game later in the period with a power play goal of their own. Michael Peca then restored the Oilers lead with a goal late in the period.
"I don't think some of the stuff he's doing is any more flagrant than what guys like (Mike) Commodore and (Aaron) Ward are doing on the other team," Lowe said. "Yet, because he's considered a rookie, he tends to get the short end of the stick.
"I would say he's deserving of about half the calls. So it's frustrating as an observer of this whole thing."
Greene was inserted into the lineup on a full-time basis in the playoffs after the Oilers were pushed around by the San Jose Sharks in the opening game of their second-round series.
PENALTY PARADE
Since getting into the lineup, Greene has given the Oilers the physical presence they needed. However, he has collected 15 minor penalties in 16 games, more than any other player on the team.
Georges Laraque is the only player with more penalty minutes, but the bulk of them have come from two major penalties, which are accompanied by game misconducts.
"He is so big and strong that he overpowers guys," Lowe said. "Certainly there is a mandate from the league to talk about the use of the open hand. But you can use the open hand as long as you don't grab. You can push and you can out-muscle guys.
"In a lot of cases, he does like Aaron Ward does and Jason Smith does. He gets his hand in the guy's chest and he can just push them right over. That's a legal play."
Following the pair of penalties in Game 5, Greene looked visibly upset on the Oilers bench. Oilers assistant coach Charlie Huddy walked over to console the six-foot-three, 213-pound Grand Ledge, Michigan, product.
"I just tried to settle him down," Huddy said. "I said 'Just go out and play your game, you've done a good job through the whole playoffs, you don't need to get run out of position to make that big hit. Just go out and play your game and the hits will come to you.' "
Greene had five minutes of ice time in the 4-3 overtime victory on Wednesday. He's been averaging 9:38 in the post-season.
"When things don't go your way, you get down on yourself a little bit," Greene said. "But for a guy like that to come over and show that they still have faith in you just means a ton."
