And then it says "or on his own side of the line", not "and".

I understand how things are usually called, but this was a huge call that was slowed and studied from several angles and could still be argued as inconclusive.

I mean, this is also an off-side rule:

"However, a player actually controlling the puck who shall cross the line ahead of the puck shall not be considered “off-side,” provided he had possession and control of the puck prior to his skates crossing the blue line."

How many times do the officials let that go?
- wolfhounds

You are still reading it wrong. Maybe the light bulb will go on, but I'm done

You laugh, but here is the rulebook. It's not in there.


http://www.nhl.com/nhl/en...-Interactive-rulebook.pdf
- Antilles

I don't need to read the rule book to know your skate has to be on the ice.

Both calls were correct. Stop whining and get over it.

Don't know if it's been said but the rule needs to be changed so that the blue line can be used the way the goal line in football is: a plane that extends upwards and as long as the skate hasn't broken that plane the play is onside. It's really that easy.

This is great. Everyone saying how the Hawks were gifted the game. They cheated bla bla bla. The sad reality is the Hawks are a great team that now has extra external motivation to take this series now. Everytime someone questions this team it blows up in their face, BADLY. Honestly, I really thought this would go 7 and I gave the Blues a slight edge. NOW that this intangible is in play (and the Hawks use psychology better than anyone) St. Louis is in deep trouble.
- kwolf68

Who said the Hawks cheated?

This is great. Everyone saying how the Hawks were gifted the game. They cheated bla bla bla. The sad reality is the Hawks are a great team that now has extra external motivation to take this series now. Everytime someone questions this team it blows up in their face, BADLY. Honestly, I really thought this would go 7 and I gave the Blues a slight edge. NOW that this intangible is in play (and the Hawks use psychology better than anyone) St. Louis is in deep trouble.
- kwolf68

Who said the Hawks cheated?

Don't know if it's been said but the rule needs to be changed so that the blue line can be used the way the goal line in football is: a plane that extends upwards and as long as the skate hasn't broken that plane the play is onside. It's really that easy.
- Stu17

Yup.

Eklund: The Disaster in St Louis Which Should Make Us Question Everything...
- Eklund

Can you use video review when editing your blogs?

Don't know if it's been said but the rule needs to be changed so that the blue line can be used the way the goal line in football is: a plane that extends upwards and as long as the skate hasn't broken that plane the play is onside. It's really that easy.
- Stu17

I believe this would cause an issue with skates being in the air coming across the blue line chest level which could cause a concern for injury.
The NHL has always tried to keep the skates on the ice to avoid skate cut injuries.

I believe this would cause an issue with skates being in the air coming across the blue line chest level which could cause a concern for injury.
The NHL has always tried to keep the skates on the ice to avoid skate cut injuries.
- Scooby_Doo

You are still reading it wrong. Maybe the light bulb will go on, but I'm done
- Just5

What you're saying isn't difficult to comprehend. I'm saying, based upon the actual wording of the rule, there's room for interpretation.

A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line regardless of the position of his stick.

So his skate, if on his side of the blue line, doesn't have to be touching the ice, right? The whole skate?



Either way, crap breaks against St Louis.

The rule doesn't care about all that. Puck crosses line, skates in the air. Offside. Can't blame the refs.
- Just5

I suppose we should thank you for getting it wrong in such a short amount of time. The refs sure took their sweet time doing that last night.

Lehtera was just skating. The natural skating stride leaves moments when neither skate is on the ice at times, similar to running.

If you are skating and both feet are in the air in the neutral zone as you carry the puck in the zone, is it offside?

Because both feet are not touching the ice, and the puck crosses the line. So you don't have any feet touching in the neutral zone.

This was my biggest beef with the call last night. I didn't think he was technically in the zone even though it looked like he was. Because he had not landed his front foot in the zone before the puck completely crossed.
- carcus

Oh no! A rule interfered with my natural stride!

Again. It was close but to me it looks like his front as well was on the ice before the puck is across.

Don't know if it's been said but the rule needs to be changed so that the blue line can be used the way the goal line in football is: a plane that extends upwards and as long as the skate hasn't broken that plane the play is onside. It's really that easy.
- Stu17

Why? Because it didn't go in their favor?

It's always been this way. That's why you see players stretching back to try to stay on side. It's fine the way it is. Just because it didnt go your way doesn't mean it needs to change.

STL got jobbed...

Oh no! A rule interfered with my natural stride!

Again. It was close but to me it looks like his front as well was on the ice before the puck is across.
- Iggysbff

His front foot wasn't down before it crossed.

The reason why I brought it up is he only needs to drag his back foot if he is in the zone with his other. If he is not in the zone with his other, he shouldn't have to drag his foot as he hasn't entered the zone yet.

And the rule to make you drag is if you are actually in the zone with your other skate/body touching the ice.

At least that is always what I thought. Same concept with leaving the zone to tag up. You are in the offensive zone until your skate actually clears the zone on the ice. Above the ice isn't sufficient to enter the neutral zone.

His front foot wasn't down before it crossed.

The reason why I brought it up is he only needs to drag his back foot if he is in the zone with his other. If he is not in the zone with his other, he shouldn't have to drag his foot as he hasn't entered the zone yet.

And the rule to make you drag is if you are actually in the zone with your other skate/body touching the ice.

At least that is always what I thought. Same concept with leaving the zone to tag up. You are in the offensive zone until your skate actually clears the zone on the ice. Above the ice isn't sufficient to enter the neutral zone.
- carcus

You need to look at other replays. It was on the ice and the puck still was in blue. As Kay Whitmore said " it was close but it was offside"

Offside yes

Goalie interference yes

Either way, crap breaks against St Louis.
- wolfhounds

What many people are failing to realize is that he is still onside in this picture. You can clearly see the shadow of his lead skate below the skate itself. It doesn't matter that the trailing skate is off the ice, it matters that the lead skate is. If you had an image a frame or two further along, you would see the skate and shadow converge when his lead skate hits the ice in the zone, but by that time the puck is in the zone and disappears behind Lehtera's body.

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxXBL8Jv7Y

If you play this YouTube video from the Situation Room and freeze it at 0:43 there is still space between the leading skate blade and the shadow on the ice. Move to 0:44 and the lead skate is now in contact with the ice but the puck is already in the zone and disappearing behind Lehtera's body. He was onside the entire time.

The coaches challenge has to go, it is wrecking a good game! Hawks goal was a good goal but the Blues got robbed on the offside call, so close it could not really be decided either way from my eyes. We do not need all these stupid CFL type coaches challenges, the refs make many mistakes on penalty calls or non calls so what is the big deal on a questionable offside especially when it take 5 minutes to decide with special cameras, bull poop!

What many people are failing to realize is that he is still onside in this picture. You can clearly see the shadow of his lead skate below the skate itself. It doesn't matter that the trailing skate is off the ice, it matters that the lead skate is. If you had an image a frame or two further along, you would see the skate and shadow converge when his lead skate hits the ice in the zone, but by that time the puck is in the zone and disappears behind Lehtera's body.

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxXBL8Jv7Y

If you play this YouTube video from the Situation Room and freeze it at 0:43 there is still space between the leading skate blade and the shadow on the ice. Move to 0:44 and the lead skate is now in contact with the ice but the puck is already in the zone and disappearing behind Lehtera's body. He was onside the entire time.
- bluenatic411

In the review you can indeed see the front skate touch down with the puck still in blue.

What many people are failing to realize is that he is still onside in this picture. You can clearly see the shadow of his lead skate below the skate itself. It doesn't matter that the trailing skate is off the ice, it matters that the lead skate is. If you had an image a frame or two further along, you would see the skate and shadow converge when his lead skate hits the ice in the zone, but by that time the puck is in the zone and disappears behind Lehtera's body.

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxXBL8Jv7Y

If you play this YouTube video from the Situation Room and freeze it at 0:43 there is still space between the leading skate blade and the shadow on the ice. Move to 0:44 and the lead skate is now in contact with the ice but the puck is already in the zone and disappearing behind Lehtera's body. He was onside the entire time.
- bluenatic411

He was offside. Is in this picture, is in any video you watch (without editing) and the rule is really clear. Although I agree coaches challenge is stupid and should go, the right call was made.

What many people are failing to realize is that he is still onside in this picture. You can clearly see the shadow of his lead skate below the skate itself. It doesn't matter that the trailing skate is off the ice, it matters that the lead skate is. If you had an image a frame or two further along, you would see the skate and shadow converge when his lead skate hits the ice in the zone, but by that time the puck is in the zone and disappears behind Lehtera's body.

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxXBL8Jv7Y

If you play this YouTube video from the Situation Room and freeze it at 0:43 there is still space between the leading skate blade and the shadow on the ice. Move to 0:44 and the lead skate is now in contact with the ice but the puck is already in the zone and disappearing behind Lehtera's body. He was onside the entire time.
- bluenatic411

Totally agree, that was a bs call by the nhl to help out the Hawks, no different on what the refs did to the Canucks against the Bruins in the finals. Chicago gets all the breaks, should Keith even be playing?? If that was a Blues Dman he would have got 10 games minimum. NHL has its favourites for whatever the reason, and I will not retract this statement, I honestly believe Bettman calls the shots.

In the review you can indeed see the front skate touch down with the puck still in blue.
- Iggysbff

The trailing skate needs to be down on the ice. It is not...offside.

What many people are failing to realize is that he is still onside in this picture. You can clearly see the shadow of his lead skate below the skate itself. It doesn't matter that the trailing skate is off the ice, it matters that the lead skate is. If you had an image a frame or two further along, you would see the skate and shadow converge when his lead skate hits the ice in the zone, but by that time the puck is in the zone and disappears behind Lehtera's body.

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxXBL8Jv7Y

If you play this YouTube video from the Situation Room and freeze it at 0:43 there is still space between the leading skate blade and the shadow on the ice. Move to 0:44 and the lead skate is now in contact with the ice but the puck is already in the zone and disappearing behind Lehtera's body. He was onside the entire time.
- bluenatic411

Looks off side to me, nothing touching the neutral zone - good call game on.

Shaw interfered with the goalie, terrible call by the refs.

You need to look at other replays. It was on the ice and the puck still was in blue. As Kay Whitmore Sid" it was close but it was offside"
- Iggysbff

Does Kay Whitomore Sid have any reason to call out the refs this morning if they got the call wrong?

I just don't see any benefit for the NHL to come out this morning calling out the refs. And on ice refs make mistakes.

I would take his comments seriously if they gave us the blue line camera angles that would better show the play rather than just a camera angle inside the blueline looking out at an angle. It skews the reality of where the puck is since it was between Lehtera and the boards, and also in the air and not on the ice.