In Tuesday night’s game between the Lightning and Canadiens, Tampa defenseman Radko Gudas blasted a shot that appeared to ring off the post behind Habs netminder Carey Price.  At the time, referee Mike Leggo (#3) waved it off on the ice. At the next stoppage in play, the officials took to the airwaves to review to call with the assistance of the NHL’s War Room in Toronto.

Their call?  The puck went in the net.

The result?  Still no goal.  Here’s the official explanation from the league:

At 17:14 of the second period in the Lightning/Canadiens game, the Situation Room observed the puck cross the goal line but play continued until 17:50 when a review was initiated. The referee informed the Situation Room that he observed incidental contact in the crease by Lightning forward Tyler Johnson on goaltender Carey Price, if in fact the puck crossed the goal line. Video review confirmed that the puck crossed the goal line.

 
According to Rule 78.5 “Apparent goals shall be disallowed by the Referee when an attacking player has interfered with a goalkeeper in his goal crease.”This is not a reviewable play therefore the referee’s decision on the ice stands, no goal Tampa Bay. The clock was reset to 17:14

Check out the play for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUjj1rrK_Q8

So, here’s how it breaks down:

  • No goal on the ice.
  • Leggo calls upstairs and says he didn’t see a goal, but if there was a goal, he’d have waved it off due to the contact in the crease
  • War Room determines it was a goal
  • Based on Leggo’s call, the goal is disallowed

I’m not sure I agree with the contact call, but it’s consistent with how that’s been called in the past.  At least it seems like they got the process right. If Leggo believed the players interfered with Price’s ability to make the save, it would’ve been waved off — and it was.

Of course, it’s easy to second-guess Mike Leggo.  He’s the same referee who missed the Sharks score a game-winning goal last week.