Friday, at the 02:06 mark of the second overtime, Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov scored the game-winning goal to give the Lightning a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Here’s the problem, Kucherov’s double-OT winner shouldn’t have counted. Video evidence confirmed Lightning forward Valtteri Filppula was offside as Tampa Bay entered the Canadiens zone.
After the game, Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien wasn’t pleased.
“It’s frustrating,” said Therrien. “It’s one thing when you lose on a judgment call but an offside is black and white and to me it was clearly offside.”
In Sunday’s New York Post, Rangers beat writer Larry Brooks has a suggestion: effective immediately, review every goal scored in the playoffs, or, at least every overtime goal from now until the Stanley Cup is hoisted in June. Does Brooks have a valid point? Is it time for the NHL to use video review for all goals? That sounds reasonable to me.
Honestly, this move is long overdue. Why shouldn’t the best league in the world be able to use video to review every goal scored during the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
The NCAA already has this policy in place for the NCAA playoffs. On-ice officials are human and make mistakes from time to time. Why not make sure we get the call right?
The added scenarios are:
Goals may be reviewed to determine if they are scored before a penalty occurred.
If an offsides or too many men on the ice penalty is missed and a goal is scored, the play may be reviewed if the puck remains in the offensive zone after the missed infraction. If the puck leaves the attacking zone, the offsides or too many men on the ice penalty is no longer reviewable.This replaces the previous wording that only allowed a review if the missed play directly led to a goal.
It was clarified that the video used for replays may come from any source that is available to the game officials. Previously, the video used was required to come from a television broadcast. (NCAA.COM)
It’s time for the NHL to expand video review
Finally, I want to be clear, I am no connection to the Montreal Canadiens or the Tampa Bay Lightning. I just enjoy watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That being said, nothing taints the results of a game more than watching a team lose an important hockey game because of a questionable goal.
I believe it’s time for the NHL to expands its video review. Moreover, every goal scored during the Stanley Cup Playoffs should be viewed by the NHL’s situation room. This would ensure that every goal scored is a good goal. Is that reasonable?
Eric is a 1996, 1999 graduate of the University of North Dakota. Eric covers the University of North Dakota Hockey and Division I college hockey. Eric is the Contributing Editor for Inside Hockey.
