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Yet Again, Unintended Consequences of Coach's Challenge |
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Follow Paul on Twitter: @paulstewart22
Based on the way last night's game went between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins, I do not think the overturned Tampa goal in the first period ended up being a significant factor in the final outcome. One could argue perhaps that it gave Pittsburgh an early reprieve in an elimination game but the Penguins still had to build on it from there for nearly 55 minutes. To their credit, they did so.
Nevertheless, this was yet another case of the coach's challenge having unintended consequences. The spirit of it was to prevent teams from having blatantly offside plays where an advantage is gained-- ala Game 6 of the 1980 Stanley Cup Final or the Daniel Briere two-feet-offside goal in Game 1 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Final -- count as goals.
It was not intended to take off the board goals where a player being a hair offside (or else significant time elapsing after a missed offside) had nothing to do with the goal being scored.
Alas, that is predictably what has happened.
By the Rule Book, the correct call was made last night upon the video review -- Jonathan Drouin's skate was off the ice and he was, therefore, offside because the blueline unlike the goal line does not "extend up".
In the bigger picture, though, this is just another example of how the sport did not learn its lesson from the "toe in the crease" era where minor technical rule violations that had nothing to do with why a would-be goal was scored causing the goal to be disallowed. It's another case of tinkered-with procedures resulting in a weaker game between the added delays and outcomes that, while technically correct, go against the spirit of the game.
Here's a scenario for you: Suppose the Droiun play happened with the score 0-0 in the third period rather than the first. Suddenly it would have loomed much larger in a clinching/elimination game for the Eastern Conference championship.
Is that what was wanted when the new procedure was implemented? No, but it's the product of being ill-considered when the potential negative consequences stood out like a sore thumb even when the coach's challenge was still in the debate stage.
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, Stewart is the director of officiating for the ECAC.
The longtime referee heads Officiating by Stewart, a consulting, training and evaluation service for officials. Stewart also maintains a busy schedule as a public speaker, fund raiser and master-of-ceremonies for a host of private, corporate and public events. As a non-hockey venture, he is the owner of Lest We Forget.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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