While the hockey replay review system exists to ensure that each goal in the NCAA and the NHL is legal, there still exist some blatant errors in the judgment of referees in the NCAA and video goal judges in the NHL.
Wisconsin lost a 3-2 heartbreaker at Denver over Winter Break because of a failed review of a goal by Matt Ford that would have tied the game with 0.9 seconds left in the third period. Instead, WCHA referee Randy Schmidt asked for a freeze-frame overhead shot of the goal area with 0.0 seconds remaining, at which point the puck had gone into the net and bounced out, so he saw the puck sitting in the crease and waved off the tying goal. You can see video evidence of Schmidt's blown call by going to YouTube and searching Wisconsin at DU.""
When viewing the video, watch for a few things. The red light (goal light) goes on before the green light (end-of-period light). The red light cannot be turned on if the green light is already on. Plus, Schmidt is pointing to the ice to signify a goal before the green light turns on.The WCHA admitted Schmidt's mistake before the next evening's game, but an appeal by Wisconsin requesting one point was denied.
If the season ended today, Wisconsin would miss the NCAA Tournament because it did not tie the game. Right now the Badgers stand at 15th in the PairWise Ranking, which mimics the process the NCAA uses to select the tournament field. With one more point, the Badgers would be in the top 14, qualifying them for the tournament.
There was no reason, besides the lack of planning by the WCHA in anticipating such a situation, that Wisconsin and Denver could not have played overtime before the next evening's game.
Everyone in the arena on Friday night understood the travesty that had just occurred. People stayed up all night on the USCHO.com message boards trying to reason out what had just happened. If Denver head coach George Gwozdecky had wanted to set a positive example for his players, he could have suggested the teams play overtime the next night.
This happens to be just one of a few times in which an official has made a huge error in judgment when it comes to the replay system.
In a game between Denver and St. Cloud State earlier this year, Schmidt blew another review. This one involved blatant goaltender interference. A YouTube video shows a Denver player clearly crashing into St. Cloud goalie Jase Weslosky, yet the goal stood (search for ""alleged goalie interference""). The WCHA admitted the error on that one also. They've made a habit of apologizing for Schmidt's incompetence this season.
In the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals, Dallas Stars forward Brett Hull scored on Buffalo Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek in triple-overtime to win the Stanley Cup. The NHL rule at the time was that an offensive player could not have a skate in the crease when the puck went in the net. Hull did, yet the goal was never reviewed.
In a 2000 NHL playoff series between the Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers, a goal was awarded that did not actually go in the mouth of the net.
Flyers winger John Leclair blasted a shot past Hasek that tied the game at one in the second period. Leclair's shot was so hard that it went through the side of the net and into the cage. The referee did not take the time to see if there was a hole in the net. Six minutes later, Dixon Ward of Buffalo found the once-thought-inexistent hole. Too late, the Flyers went on to win the game 2-1.
That was the second time Hasek lost out because of a failed review.
There is a reason the replay system is in use, and that is to review the legality of a goal. What is the point of having a review system if the officials will not take advantage of it? There is no need to rush to judgment like Schmidt, who took under a minute to wave off Ford's goal. There needs to be complete fairness to both teams in the process, which requires patience when reviewing a goal.
The replay system is imperfect, yet it has done more good than harm. It seems like it could be flawless, however, if the officials simply took their time in reaching a verdict on each goal.
E-mail Eric at elevine@wisc.edu.
