I didn't watch a lot of Sunday's game between Minnesota and Wisconsin, but I did have the opportunity to catch the winning goal. But should it have been a goal? Here's the video:
When I saw this happen in real time, I said, "They've gotta take that back." But refereee Marco Hunt chose to not even review the play.
The 2005 Points of Emphasis memo says "Anytime an opposing player prevents the goalkeeper from preventing a goal, interference must be called."
It's quite obvious that Michael Carman runs into goalie Brian Elliott and prevents him from preventing the goal. The question is whether Carman interfered with Elliott or if he was pushed into Elliott.
My feeling after watching the play if that even if Carman is pushed a little bit, he certainly doesn't try to avoid Elliott, and after he makes contact with Elliott, he turns his shoulders towards Elliott and tries to make a play of the puck. He obviously comes no where near the puck, and instead ends up taking Elliott out of the play. The other thing is that if Carman is pushed, at some point after the Wisconsin defender makes contact with him, Carman should speed up as he gains momentum from the push, and I don't really think that ever happens. Really, if the Wisconsin defender keeps his hands down, it's probably an easy call to make.
I personally probably wouldn't have allowed the goal, but whatever we decide is irrelevant. What's most important here is that it was an extremely close and questionable play at a key moment in the game, and the officials didn't even bother to look at it.
When I saw this happen in real time, I said, "They've gotta take that back." But refereee Marco Hunt chose to not even review the play.
The 2005 Points of Emphasis memo says "Anytime an opposing player prevents the goalkeeper from preventing a goal, interference must be called."
It's quite obvious that Michael Carman runs into goalie Brian Elliott and prevents him from preventing the goal. The question is whether Carman interfered with Elliott or if he was pushed into Elliott.
My feeling after watching the play if that even if Carman is pushed a little bit, he certainly doesn't try to avoid Elliott, and after he makes contact with Elliott, he turns his shoulders towards Elliott and tries to make a play of the puck. He obviously comes no where near the puck, and instead ends up taking Elliott out of the play. The other thing is that if Carman is pushed, at some point after the Wisconsin defender makes contact with him, Carman should speed up as he gains momentum from the push, and I don't really think that ever happens. Really, if the Wisconsin defender keeps his hands down, it's probably an easy call to make.
I personally probably wouldn't have allowed the goal, but whatever we decide is irrelevant. What's most important here is that it was an extremely close and questionable play at a key moment in the game, and the officials didn't even bother to look at it.