A couple of late goal reviews were the story of the Blackhawks-Blues game, one that resulted in Chicago evening the series at ones.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored to give the Blues a 2-1 lead but the goal was reversed after it was determined that Jori Lehtera was offside on the play.
But not before a very long review took place.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/721173485247164416
While it appeared Lehtera was indeed offside, only the NHL was privy to the blue-line camera that may have provided a clearer look than this:
https://twitter.com/CoreyHirsch/status/721173505157402627
According to NHL senior director of hockey operations Kay Whitmore, without the cameras on the blue line that were put in place for the playoffs, the call probably does not get overturned.
“The blue-line cameras situated right on the blue line gives you a true sight line of what’s actually happening,” said Whitmore to NHL.com. “Without those cameras, this would have been a tough call to make. You could probably say that the skate might have been in, but if there’s any doubt on the ice, then the original call has to stand.
“To be honest, this was one of the closest ones we’ve had. You’re looking at a puck — not just when it enters the zone. You’re actually looking at when the skate comes off the ice and if it stays on the ice when the puck enters the zone.
“So there was two different things. It wasn’t just — we always have ones where the skate’s in the air, and that’s difficult enough – but this was one, where’s the puck? And the puck is coming just at the split second, so the two things were going hand in hand, and you try to look at reverse angles — some were a little bit clearer than others — and you try to make sure that you can determine that the skate was in the air, and the linesmen both determined that that was the right call.”
It’s almost certain that Lehtera was offside but one argument against the coach’s challenge is that it can lead to nitpicking to the nth degree. A play may indeed be illegal but the degree to which it is and the length a goal review takes may not be worth the effort. Still, offside is offside.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/721163914415882241
https://twitter.com/DamoSpin/status/721164807643136000
“I think the initial purpose of an offside challenge was to rid the game of egregious calls where a player is a foot or two offside, but you can’t just do those ones,” said Whitmore. “If it’s offside, it’s offside, and this one was millimeters offside.
“You just have to have as much technology as possible once you institute a rule like this. I think, like I said, there will be a debate probably for a long time [from] hockey purists about whether the intent of this rule was to take down goals like this, but maybe that’s a discussion for another day.
“Did that skate in the air, does it have a real effect on what happened after that? You can argue that all day, but the rule is, it’s always been, you have to have your skate on the ice crossing the blue line. Until there’s a rule change, this is the way it’s going to have to be.”
The Blackhawks then scored just a couple of minutes later when Andrew Shaw banged in a rebound from the lip of the crease. The Blues challenged for interference on Brian Elliott but it was ruled good goal.
“What I felt I’d seen originally was pretty much confirmed on the overhead, that Shaw, he gets it with his hand, then reaches out after it goes off the side, makes a play on the puck,” O’Rourke said. “The contact is after the puck goes in, and it’s also with the help of “Blues defenceman Kevin) Shattenkirk pushing him.
“That’s how I felt I saw it on the ice, then also what was confirmed by the overall play at full speed, and then also the overhead really helped.”
It’s not hard to see how this could be a turning point in the series.
Chicago had nothing to lose by calling for a challenge on Tarasenko’s goal — but what if there was a risk? The review process is hardly foolproof as blue-line cameras were only installed in NHL rinks just prior to playoffs. Even the NHL war room took a long time to determine what eventually looked like a clear offside.
Elliotte Friedman noted on Hockey Night in Canada that the challenge for offside was inspired by Matt Duchene’s egregious offside that led to a goal against the Nashville Predators in 2013.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS:
First Round Series Previews | Broadcast Schedule
Stanley Cup Playoffs Fantasy Hockey
If that’s the case, this rule may have been an overreaction by the NHL to a bonehead call that almost never happens.
The right calls were made Friday as the rules currently stand, but it’s clear the hockey community takes issue with the length of reviews and the minutiae of offsides that are illegal by a fraction of an inch.
Chicago scored an empty-netter less than three minutes later and hung on for a 3-2 win.
