Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling scored an overtime game-winning goal against the Edmonton Oilers that just barely trickled over the goal line… or, at least, that’s what the NHL’s Situation Room determined.
Early in overtime of Sunday’s Game 4, Poehling took a shot at the Oilers’ net that deflected off defenseman Darnell Nurse and ended up behind goaltender Tristan Jarry.
Poeling yelled, “It’s in!” The Ducks poured off the bench to celebrate the apparent overtime winner.
Neither referee signaled a goal on the play. Ref Jake Brenk, the nearest official — none of whom were below the goal line — skated from the far corner to the net and blew the whistle to stop play. Linesperson Trent Knorr joined him a moment later. Brenk gestured to the puck, near the goal line.
The four on-ice officials huddled to discuss the play. Nearly 75 seconds after the whistle sounded, Jake Brenk share the crew’s decision: “We have a good goal on the ice.”
The league’s Situation Room took a second look. This was not a Coach’s Challenge – this play would not be eligible to be challenged – but a standard league review that would happen on any goal where it would be necessary to confirm whether the puck crossed the goal line.
Here are the rules in play:
37.2 Goal Review Procedures – Every goal shall be reviewed by the NHL Situation Room…. The NHL Situation Room’s decision shall be final.
37.3 Goal Situations Subject to Video Review – The following situations are subject to review by the NHL Situation Room: (a) Puck crossing the goal line;
78.4 Scoring a Goal – A goal shall be scored when the puck shall have been put between the goal posts by the stick of a player of the
attacking side, from in front and below the crossbar, and entirely across a red line the width of the diameter of the goal posts drawn on the ice from one goal post to the other with the goal frame in its proper position. The goal frame shall be considered in its proper position
A full 6:30 after the puck slid past Jarry, the official word came down from the league.
“After review, the puck completely crossed the goal line, therefore we have a good goal,” Brenk announced, pointing to center ice to signal a goal on the play.
While the puck was partially obscured, it did appear to have completely crossed the goal line. This was different from a play where the position of the puck is unable to be determined. The puck was flat on the ice. Even if the skate was blocking part of the puck nearest the goal line, the puck — a perfect circle, mind you — was determined to be fully in the white paint based on the visible portion of the puck.
“You guys saw it on the screen; we saw it on the TVs on the bench,” said Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. “I don’t know how they see it as a conclusive goal.”
The NHL’s Situation Room cited conclusive evidence of the puck crossing the line. Effectively, that shows that the officials’ on-ice call was irrelevant. This wasn’t a case of inconclusive video evidence, but one where the league felt they would’ve had enough proof to aard the goal regardless of the refs’ ruling. From the Situation Room:
The Referee’s initial call on the ice was that the puck completely crossed the goal line. Following video review, the Situation Room determined that the puck completely crossed the goal line.
You can complain about the refs missing the moment the puck crossed the line. Ultimately, the call on the ice didn’t matter.
You can complain about the process. Ultimately, they got the call right.
The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in overtime. Referees for the game were Francois St-Laurent (#8) and Jake Brenk (#26), with linespersons Trent Knorr (#74) and Tyson Baker (#88).
