Every year I vow to never write a post about poor officiating, and every year something so inexplicably stupid happens I can’t help myself.
The Panthers were flat out robbed in Pittsburgh Tuesday when the Pens were up 1-0 in the 3rd period. Reilly Smith deflected a Brian Campbell slapshot with a waist-to-chest high stick that squeezed by Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the game.
Apparently it was called a no goal on the ice but the scoreboard had the game tied 1-1.
When the goal went under review it was determined the goal was redirected with a high stick and their wasn't enough evidence to overturn the no goal call.
It was a goal. Period. End of story.
But the momentum the Panthers correctly thought they created was gone.
Soon after the Pens scored to make it 2-0, of course on a play where Phil Kessel hit the puck with a high stick. No call. Needless to say head coach Gerard Gallant was steamed. The officials tried to stay away from him because naturally they did not have a good explanation for the bad calls going against Florida.
While Quinton Howden and Derek MacKenzie came through with timely goals in the 3rd to tie the game and send it to overtime before losing 3-2, the disallowed Smith goal was the turning point of the game.
The Panthers are no strangers to horrible calls and lack of respect from officials. That is the price you pay for being near the bottom of the league for a dozen years.
But at what point can that be expected to change, especially on such obvious calls?
It’s not like the on-ice and replay officials didn’t have the chance to make sure the goal was allowed, and they still got it wrong. There was obvious video evidence to overturn the call on the ice.
Perhaps the Panthers should be happy with the point they did earn and get out of town thankful they didn’t come up empty. They were, after all, competing against the zebras as well.
They could have won the game outright if Smith’s goal was rightly upheld, and they could have lost it as well. That is not the point.
My question to the fine readers of Hockeybuzz is…
…does a team’s reputation as being a “good… or “bad… team have anything to do with close calls going for or against said teams?
I’ve watched A LOT of hockey with an objective eye over the years and I can’t say I’ve seen the consistent bad calls I’ve seen against the Panthers anywhere else.
Yes I’m sure many of you will tell me to get some cheese for my whine, but it really is an honest question.
Do teams get or not get calls based on reputation or are officials that good to take each game one by one with no preconceived notions on what to expect?
As always, I look forward to your spirited comments. Thanks for reading.
Dan Spiegel Florida Panthers Media