Longtime readers of this blog know that I don’t like blaming the officials for losses. I know that the referees do an incredible job under very trying circumstances… but they are human… and last night at Bridgestone Arena went beyond human frailty's.
Nashville’s 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche was a great, back-and-forth affair that featured two contenders battling it out for two critical points, and it was a great game, there is no removing that from the equation. At least until a referee decided to insert himself into the game with a horrendous phantom goaltender interference call on the game tying goal at 16:46 of the third period. Colin Blackwell who was clearly pushed into Colorado goaltender Pavel Francouz by Colorado defenseman Nikita Zadorov, drove the whistle.
Leaving that alone for a moment… those things happen and are reviewable and I am sure that the review would have gone Nashville’s way as head coach John Hynes was clearly headed in that direction. That would have been fine, the call would’ve been overturned and play would’ve continued for the last three minutes of the game and potentially more. But the official decided to call a penalty on the play. A play that even the Denver media said was incorrect.
I know… if you are going to call goaltender interference, a penalty should be assessed, right? Well… maybe… but the upshot of the penalty call was that the play was no longer eligible for review.
That is wrong and certainly an unintended consequence of the rule. Why is goaltender interference reviewable on a goal call in every instance except when the ref says it isn't?
When you break down the play, you see that no contact was made with the goaltender until AFTER the puck crossed the goal line. So… using last night’s official’s logic… if there WAS goaltender interference after the puck crossed the goal line, the goal counts and assess the penalty as a dead puck penalty.
There was a lot of talking between the other referee and a linesman about the play… but the official who made the call wasn’t hearing any of it in this observer’s opinion. One play… one incredibly incompetent call and a stubborn refusal to try and get it right. That is the main issue that a lot of NHL fans have with the leagues officiating.
It is a shame that call cast a pall over what was an exciting game. The Preds have nothing to hang their heads over from last night.
The Preds are back in action tomorrow night to close out the five game homestand against Edmonton.
We will be talking more about this and previewing the week ahead on SlapShot Radio this morning at 11am on 102.5 the Game.
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Where They Stand – a daily look at where the Predators are in the playoff race.
As play opens on 3/1/202, the Nashville Predators are in the second wild card spot in the Western Conference playoff race, one point behind the Calgary Flames. They are tied in points with Winnipeg and lead Minnesota by one point and Arizona by two. They have two games in hand over the Flames, three in hand over the Jets. Nashville trail Dallas by ten points the Central
Impact games tonight – CGY @ FLA, WSH @ MIN.
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SlapShot Radio is back for our 12th season as Zack, Brent and I are now on Monday night’s this season. The best hour of hockey talk on the longest running hockey show in the southeast … 7pm Mondays on 102.5 the Game… except this week when we are on tomorrow morning at 11am.
Our sponsor list continues to grow. Not only are we welcoming back Drs. Jane Bacon and Aileen Kruger at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762 and our good friend Carter Church, Your Murfreesboro real estate expert with Weichert – The Andrews Group. And our newest sponsors… Cool Springs Wines and Spirits! The largest spirit store in all of middle Tennessee! And La-Z-Boy Nashville! Three locations, locally owned and operated, check out La-Z-Boy in Murfreesboro, Hendersonville and Cool Springs!
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