NHL admits officials missed a goal in playoff game

[Don Cherry]

May 16, 2003

NHL admits officials missed a goal in playoff game

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By Daren Smith SportsTicker Hockey Editor EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) - How could they miss it? That's what the New Jersey Devils were asking Thursday night after the NHL's on-ice and video replay officials missed a goal in Game Three of the Eastern Conference finals The Devils' protests were muted because the gaffe did not affect the outcome of their 1-0 victory that gave them a two games to one lead in the best-of-seven series.

"It's tough to miss a call like that in the Stanley Cup conference finals," said left wing Jay Pandolfo, whose goal 12:10 into the opening period would have given New Jersey a 2-0 lead.

"Thank God we won, that's the most important thing. Now we can forget about it."

NHL executives can't forget, not after admitting that referees Kerry Fraser and Brad Watson and video replay officials missed the goal.

"Clearly, despite all best efforts of all involved, a goal was scored," NHL executive vice president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell said in a statement. "The NHL regrets the error."

http://www.nhl.com/onthefly/news/143792.html

[Valerie]

That's awful! I have question. Okay, in this case, it really didn't matter since New Jersey won the game anyway regardless of that goal. What happens if a missed goal like that isn't caught and it costs a team the game? Then what?

[The_Philster]

Knowing the NHL, they'd just deny it and make a big cover-up...like the did during the Sabres' run at the Cup vs. the Devils. :rolleyes:
They had a story out about a memo that allowed a player to be in the crease as long as he didn't interfere with the goaltender. Funny thing is, no one heard about this memo to my knowledge...not the media, the Sabres, nor any of the GMs and coaches who expressed to Ruff and regeir their regrets about what happened when they gathered for the draft that summer.
Then the NHL changed the rules officially not 2 days later. It was in the wee hours of a Sunday morning when it happened. The rule was changed Monday.

[Turf]

All they have to do is change the rule that a play can't be overturned after the puck has dropped. They should make it, say, within 3 minutes, they can reverse a play, put the time back on the clock, and everything that happened afterwards didn't count, except major penalties.
In this scenario, within 1 minute after the puck was dropped the coaches and everyone knew it was a goal. They could have stopped the play, made the right call, put a minute back on the clock and had a faceoff at center ice.