Image Credit Sports Net
Last night I watched a replay of the Boston and Minnesota game. There was a controversial goal or no goal call. The play in controversy was when the Minnesota goalie, Dubnyk, was on the left side of the goal and a Boston player ran him over. The puck made its way behind the goal then out to the right side of the goal to another Boston player, who then shot and scored. The Wild obviously wanted a no goal, goalie interference call. AND THEY GOT THE CALL.
I’d like to reference the game when the Blues played against Boston on Feb 2nd, and Krejci scored when Allen was interfered with and the goal stood. The referee’s explanation was that Allen should have made an attempt to get back to the crease and make the save. But the reason Allen didn’t attempt to get back in the crease to try and make the save was because he got pushed out of the crease by two Boston players and was unable to get back in the net. Regardless, Boston’s goal stood. The referee made a judgement call and decided, himself, that Allen didn’t have a chance to stop the puck even if he had been able to get back to the crease. So not only did the referees make the cruel judgement that he should have attempted to make the save, they also said had he done that, he wouldn’t have been able to make the save. Very confusing. Very NFL-ish.
Well, tonight, we find Boston in the midst of controversy, AGAIN. But this time, they don’t get the goal. Apparently these referees thought Dubnyk could have made the save.
I agree with the call, but it frustrates me. Have we found the new “Catch or No Catch” of the NHL? Are the NHL referees now in the business of deciding what goalies are able to make miraculous saves and what goalies aren’t? In my opinion, we see goalies make miraculous saves weekly if not daily. That’s what makes their job so amazing. But this year we seem to be witnessing a new trend of “Goal or Goalie Interference”. I’d just like to see some consistent calls again. I don’t want the NFL problem of “Catch or No Catch” in the NHL. We enjoy the sport because it’s fast paced, intense, and generally not as controversial as other sports. Let’s not complicate the rule. Don’t let referees decide which goalies are capable of making SportsCenter Top 10 worthy saves and which goalies are not. Let’s not turn the NHL into the NFL.
Today, the NHL has decided that every goalie interference call must be decided by former referees placed in the Situation Room in Toronto. They will consult with on ice officials, but ultimately have the final say. Let’s hope this makes goalie interference controversies less of an issue and the referees less NFL-ish.
