I finally got my TV back today. Not in time to catch the whole game - of course - but I did see OT and the shootout.
Hejduk "scores"
The Hejduk "goal" was controversial but by the letter of the law, Mike Smith threw his stick. Just because the stick didn't come into play as part of the save has no bearing on the situation.
And for the Tampa announcers, the stick was most definitely out of Smith's hand before the save was made. Saying it wasn't out of his hands over and over again doesn't make it so.
It's a tough call but I'm going to agree with it while wearing my burgundy-tinted glasses.
Rayzor robs 'em
As for Andrew Raycroft's showboat at the end...I loved it.
I usually don't like that sort of play but the mood I'm in today, it struck the right chord for me.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Avalanche Top Lightning, Win 2-1
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8 Comments:
Being in Florida I was able to watch the postgame tonight (granted it was the Tampa Bay version). I am still on the fence about this 'goal'.
I can see how it would look to the ref that the stick was thrown, but I can also see how Smith went for the poke check, missed and didn't have a good grip on the stick when he went to blocker save it.
After seeing all the replays I am not sure if the stick came out before the puck hit the blocker. Either way I really wish we would have gotten to send our 3rd shooter. If he makes the goal then no controversy, he misses, well we still have the controversy.
The one thing I am certain of is that the War Room should have been consulted on the play, since my understanding of the rule is that if the stick left his hand after the puk hit his blocker it is ok.
I watched part of the third, all of OT and the shootout last night. The stick was out of his hand before the puck hit the blocker. It wasn't a deliberate attempt to throw the stick, but the letter of the rule has nothing about intent in it, I believe.
Like Shane mentioned, the TB announcers were commenting with their eyes closed. They're homers, I get it, but it annoyed the hell out of me. They showed the super slow-mo video from behind The Duke and you can see the puck still on Hejduk's stick and daylight between Smith's hand and the shaft of his goalie stick. Maybe their understanding of the space-time continuum is different than mine, but they have the definitions of before and after reversed, IMO.
I don't think it was reviewable in the War Room, because penalties (such as throwing the stick would be in a game situation) aren't reviewable. The puck never crossed the goal line or was lost by the refs, so there was no pathway to go to the tape.
Yep, what Mike said.
The play wasn't reviewable and had to be made based on what the officials saw on the ice.
I certainly would have preferred a more convincing win and I'd likely be a bit pissed if the shoe was on the other foot.
But it's not ;)
Rule 26.4 Infractions – During the Course of a Penalty Shot - A goal will be awarded when a goalkeeper attempts to stop a penalty shot by throwing his stick or any other object at the player taking the shot or by deliberately dislodging the goal.
I think the key part of the rule is "throwing at the player" part. I think Smith more dropped the stick. I think it was a bad call, albeit one i'll take.
I had stopped reading once I got to 25.4:
The goalkeeper may attempt to stop the shot in any manner except by throwing his stick or any object, or by deliberately dislodging the goal, in which case a goal shall be awarded.
The two seem to say similar, but different things which is unfortunate.
It comes down to did he throw it, which I really don't think he did, I think he just lost his grip on it.
My point about review was in a situation such as a shoot out, they should be using all the tools available to them. The angles I saw it wasn't absolutely clear that he lost the stick before the puck left the Duke's stick.
A win is a win and I will take it.
jed, yep, I absolutely agree that they need to be able to go to video review to get the call right.
That being said though, I do still feel it was the right call. The angles the Tampa feed had clearly showed the puck still on the Duke's stick after Smith had let go/thrown his.
Shane:
Undeniable. Smith had let go of the stick before the shot. No question. I just don't think he did to get an advantage.
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