None of this should be surprising. Every year, there are a few controversial calls in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The same could be said for the playoffs in every other sport, too. Teams and their fans feel they were robbed by the guys in striped shirts intentionally, but it's never personal.When bad calls happen, it's bad officiating, not some sort of conspiracy. Such was the case Tuesday night in Anaheim.
It's easy to blame Brad Watson for Detroit's 2-1 loss to the Ducks, given that Watson blew the whistle before Detroit slammed home the game-tying goal. After all, it was indeed a really quick whistle by Watson that appeared to cost the Red Wings a chance at overtime. As a result, Anaheim has momentum and a series lead.
It sounded to me like Watson's whistle happened about the same time the puck crossed the line, which means the Wings are likely another victim of good ol' Rule 32.2, which governs referees and their happy whistles. FanHouse reached out to NHL Director of Media Relations John Dellapina, who was kind enough to offer up an explanation for us.
"As there is a human factor involved in blowing the whistle to stop play, the Referee may deem the play to be stopped slightly prior to the whistle actually being blown," Dellapina explained to FanHouse. "The fact that the puck may come loose or cross the goal line prior to the sound of the whistle has no bearing if the Referee has ruled that the play had been stopped prior to this happening.
Also, as you know, determining the precise timing of a whistle blow is not one of the circumstances subject to video review."
Simply as a point of observation, I would argue that the standard used by officials for a whistle on a play like this -- when the refs lose sight of the puck -- differs from game to game, and from period to period, especially late in games. I asked Dellapina about this, and he was kind enough to forward my question to NHL Senior Vice President and Director of Officiating Stephen Walkom.
From Dellapina: "(Walkom) said the League has not noticed plays being blown dead more quickly late in games and had not mandated such a practice."
The answer isn't surprising, but the argument that quick whistles are more likely late in close games is a legitimate one. This is part of human nature. The later we get in games, the less officials want to be part of deciding the outcome with their calls. They are more likely to err on the side of blowing a play dead. After all, the alternative is to err on the side of letting desperate offensive players perform surgery on goalies with their sticks, searching for that potentially loose puck.
That said, the NHL may have gone a bit too far as they try to explain the controversial call.
E.J. McGuire, series manager and spokesman for officials, said in a statement that Watson followed the rules correctly.Seriously?
"First off, as any of us watch on a replay, it's easy to make the correct call,'' McGuire said. "In the case tonight, the official was down along the goal line. He was moving forward toward the net to try to get a look at where the puck was. When he couldn't see the puck, all referees' instructions are to blow the whistle and blow the play dead.''
McGuire indicated Watson might have lost sight of the puck because of Anaheim's uniform colors.
"A combination of the black puck and the black pants may have been a factor,'' McGuire said. "But when he didn't see the puck, he blew the whistle.''
If this is truly a part of the problem, you can expect every team in the NHL to be wearing black breezers by 2010. Hey, anything to get a little more of an edge, right?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-06-2009 @ 1:51PM
John said...
"The fact that the puck may come loose or cross the goal line prior to the sound of the whistle has no bearing if the Referee has ruled that the play had been stopped prior to this happening."
Except the puck didn't come loose, it was never covered for even a split second, and the ref didn't even attempt to blow the play dead until after he saw the puck in the net.
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5-06-2009 @ 2:29PM
smehl1506 said...
Of course the uniform color was part of the problem! Of course it's easier to lose a black puck in a black background. The ref made a huge mistake, no question, but there's no conspiracy.
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5-06-2009 @ 4:51PM
plaudenbach said...
Worst officiated game I've ever seen! The penalty that resulted in the go-ahead power play goal for the Ducks was a BS call. The goal itself should have been disallowed for goalie interference. Then the bit with the too-quick whistle. Obviously, the league has conspired to prevent the Wings from repeating as champions. They've been getting the sh*t end of the stick all season!
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5-06-2009 @ 5:16PM
ramwrd said...
Detroit got robbed of a potential O.T. Parody shouldn't be about mistakes in Referee calls...This isn't the right way to keep the NHL popular...By calling games on a wistle....
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5-06-2009 @ 7:25PM
dsjr said...
NHL Officials are the worst in professional sports. They are inconsistent from one period to the next and as Brad Watson proved, incompetent on an alomost inconceivable level. That was the worst call I've ever seen and I've been a hockey fan for 32 years. They have two on ice refs now and still can't get it right. I'm not a Wings fan or a Ducks fan, the Wings were absolutely robbed.
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5-06-2009 @ 7:57PM
divetheyukon said...
The worst? OK let's look at this. They have to skate up and down the ice as fast as the players. They stay on for the entire game, no rest on the bench. They have to avoid the players, flying pucks etc. and during all this keep their eyes on the puck, all the players, so that they don't miss a slash, punch etc. thrown behind the play. I really can't understand how they can miss a call or two. Those bums!
Just in case you didn't get it, I'm being sarcastic here. Those refs do OK all things considered.
5-06-2009 @ 7:35PM
abschnitker said...
Its hard enough to win against another team in hockey now the wings play against eight instead of five. Good luck Detriot
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5-06-2009 @ 7:51PM
jstankoff said...
Another cop out by the NHL. For as much as they say they don't want the officials to be the deciding factor in games, why does it alway seem the opposite is true. No wonder hockey doesn't get the same respect as the 3 other major sports. Also, you would think that only the best officials would have the privilege of officiating in the playoffs. I sure hope that POS Watson doesn't see another game in the playoffs. He sucks!! Never heard of him before, will probably never hear of him again. By the way, after the fiasco that happened in the NBA with the gambling ref, they ought to investigate this guy, I'll bet he's dirty.
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5-06-2009 @ 8:36PM
IRISH said...
If the REDWINGS hired BOB PROBERT to wait outside the refs locker room, I'll bet those B****RDS would give us back the two goals they owe us! They probably would give back the PAYOLA too!
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5-07-2009 @ 12:33AM
Frings said...
Right...violence will advance your team's goal of winning the cup. You're a thug...or a terrorist.
5-06-2009 @ 9:28PM
jenalexi said...
WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO SAY "I MADE A MISTAKE"? IF THEY GAVE THAT AS AN EXPLANATION, THE BACKLASH WOULD BE MINIMAL. BUT THE NHL REFUSES TO TELL THE TRUTH. WHY? THEY ARE THE MOST INCOMPETENT OF ALL THE MAJOR SPORTS (BASKETBALL IS A VERY CLOSE 2ND).
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5-06-2009 @ 10:04PM
Kelly said...
Let's face it, every team at some point has had a bad call against them. Refs are humans - they make human mistakes. It's time for Detroit to stop whining and get over this bad call.
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5-06-2009 @ 10:42PM
Crystal said...
Agreed Kelly. Agreed.
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5-06-2009 @ 10:58PM
randy said...
The NH HELL HAS LOST ME FOR GOOD
BYE BYE
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5-07-2009 @ 12:31AM
Frings said...
And don't let the puck hit you in the ass on the way out.
5-06-2009 @ 11:17PM
nicric53 said...
IF YOU LOOK WHERE THE REF WAS HE WAS TOO FAR AWAY I WATCH GAMES WHERE THE REF IS RIGHT THE GOAL OR SOMETIMES RIGHT BEHIND THE NET THIS TIME HE OUT OF POSITION BUT STILL NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT HE DID.THAT IS HIS JOB TO GET IN THE RIGHT POSITION TO SEE THE PUCK THAT WHAT IS GETTING PAID FOR
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5-06-2009 @ 11:25PM
nicric53 said...
ANOTHER THING HAPPENING IN HOCKEY ALL THIS SCRUMS AFTER THE WHISTLE IS BLOWN AND PLAYERS GOING AT IT OR BEING CROSSCHECK THEN FIGHTS BREAKS OUT ONCE THE WHISTLE IS BLOWN THAT IT START THROWING THESE PLAYERS IN THE PENALTY BOX INSTEAD THE REF GOES TO THE PLAYER AND POINTS HIS FINGER AND WARN THEM IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT WHY CALL PENALTIES JUST WARN THEM FOR HOOKING, SLASHING AND INTERFERENCE WHICH NO REF KNOWS WHAT INTERFERENCE IS.
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5-07-2009 @ 12:17AM
rphill2719 said...
Anybody that can read should be able to understand the rules that govern a stoppage of play. The simple fact is that there was no goal. The official stopped the play and when the puck did end up in the net, he immediately waved it off as is indicated by the rules. Additionally, it is clear in situations around the net that the official is to stop play if he loses sight of the puck. That's what he did; there was no mistake. Was he in the wrong position? It doesn't really matter; he made the call as is prescribed in the rule book. Neither the Red Wing players, nor the coach dwelled on this play in the post game interviews; as they have all seen this happen a million times (and so have we), so why should it be a surprise to anyone? It's just part of the game. The Red Wings have bigger problems, anyway. Those who follow hockey, know that before the playoffs started, the last team Detroit wanted to face was the Ducks. They are their worst nightmare.
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5-07-2009 @ 2:14AM
pugz said...
the dorks from LA-LA land gotta win somehow.
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5-07-2009 @ 2:52AM
rjpconan said...
Listen to "John", "Plaudenbach", and the other BROKENWING fans whine. Just the like the World cup soccer ladies masquerading as the BROKENWINGS. The only reason they're getting the sh** end of the stick is because they're sitting on it. Glad to see them getting the full measure of what they've done to others. I wish they goal would have counted, then they would have lost in Overtime again as usual to the DUCKS. TOO BAD CRYBABIES!!!
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