Game 80: Maple Leafs @ Buffalo, 7:00pm, Stop Getting Points!

[pnjunction]

LOL should have been blown down when Scrivens first covered it with his blocker hand.  Doubtful the ref had much idea where it was after that until he noticed it was in the net.

That is assuming you even want that point...

 

[AvroArrow]

LOL should have been blown down when Scrivens first covered it with his blocker hand.  Doubtful the ref had much idea where it was after that until he noticed it was in the net.

That is assuming you even want that point...

Actually, I think I'm able to track where the puck was from the overhead cam.  Scrivens pounces at it and attempts to grab it with his blocker hand and Gardiner jumps on it too.  I suspect the puck is merely sitting under Gardiner, but he doesn't stay laying down - he's on his knees and it's quite possible that the ref is able to see the puck under Gardiner.

 

[louisstamos]

Conspiracy?  Sorry, nothing to see here folks, move along.

Mods feel free to delete these well thought out posts regarding Whistle Gate.

Sound reasoning that could adversely affect our draft position will not be tolerated.

Keep calm and carry on.

Sincerely,

Tank Nation

I wouldn't say it's a conspiracy; but it is a case of a referee choking on his whistle...

...because if he blows that play dead, the Sabres season may have been over.  Referees are human, and they get things like in the back of their heads.

 

[Tigger]

...it's quite possible that the ref is able to see the puck under Gardiner.

That doesn't explain what the ref's looking at while the puck is in the net.

 

[Bullfrog]

He's allowed to blink, isn't he?  :

 

[Kin]

Not that I care a ton but isn't the call that was made, ultimately, the right one?

 

[Tigger]

He's allowed to blink, isn't he?  :

Only one eye at a time dammit, they're getting paid n'all...

 

[bustaheims]

Not that I care a ton but isn't the call that was made, ultimately, the right one?

I'd say it was, and overall, I think I'd prefer to lean more to the side of not blowing the whistle during a scrum. I'd rather have a few plays like this than the quick whistles on loose pucks we see much more often.

 

[AvroArrow]

...it's quite possible that the ref is able to see the puck under Gardiner.

That doesn't explain what the ref's looking at while the puck is in the net.

Well, I'm sure the puck moves faster than his head can keep up.

Plus, it might be a case where he saw the Buff player poke at it and didn't see where it went underneath Gardiner/Scrivens and was taking a second to look for it as the goal light went off.

 

[Tigger]

...it's quite possible that the ref is able to see the puck under Gardiner.

That doesn't explain what the ref's looking at while the puck is in the net.

Well, I'm sure the puck moves faster than his head can keep up.

Plus, it might be a case where he saw the Buff player poke at it and didn't see where it went underneath Gardiner/Scrivens and was taking a second to look for it as the goal light went off.

No, there's a couple seconds where he obviously has no clue where the puck is, he's looking at the scrum while the puck is in the net, it's pretty definitive to me. I mean from a 'we don't want points' pov I get it but that along with the held stick was too much.

 

[TML fan]

It's also entirely possible that he was just guessing where the puck was, and couldn't actually see it at all. The ref is the only one who knows for sure, but given the situation in the season and the game for Buffalo, and having seen quicker whistles on goalmouth scrambles in the past, I find it hard to believe that he didn't bend the rules in Buffalo's favour.

It doesn't make a difference for the Leafs either way it went, save for what little pride they have left. Winning that game made all the difference to Buffalo, and certainly won't hurt the league in terms of having meaningful games to close out the season.

 

[bustaheims]

No, there's a couple seconds where he obviously has no clue where the puck is, he's looking at the scrum while the puck is in the net, it's pretty definitive to me. I mean from a 'we don't want points' pov I get it but that along with the held stick was too much.

That's a bit of an exaggeration - the puck was in the net for less than a second before the ref saw it and began to signal it was a goal.

 

[Tigger]

No, there's a couple seconds where he obviously has no clue where the puck is, he's looking at the scrum while the puck is in the net, it's pretty definitive to me. I mean from a 'we don't want points' pov I get it but that along with the held stick was too much.

That's a bit of an exaggeration - the puck was in the net for less than a second before the ref saw it and began to signal it was a goal.

I don't think it's much of an exaggeration but I also happen to think the ref went off body language/celebration to even look in the net in the first place.

Not that it's a big deal but if he knew where the puck was why was he staring into the scrum when the puck was in the net?

 

[bustaheims]

Not that it's a big deal but if he knew where the puck was why was he staring into the scrum when the puck was in the net?

Because he's human and it takes a moment for him to react? Maybe, the moment the puck was sent towards the net was when he actually lost sight of it and he checked the net to make sure before blowing the play dead? He does seem to at least have a pretty good idea as to where the puck was and what direction it went, even if if took him a fraction of a second to react.

 

[Stickytape]

No, there's a couple seconds where he obviously has no clue where the puck is, he's looking at the scrum while the puck is in the net, it's pretty definitive to me. I mean from a 'we don't want points' pov I get it but that along with the held stick was too much.

That's a bit of an exaggeration - the puck was in the net for less than a second before the ref saw it and began to signal it was a goal.

Check the video and the timestamps yourself - the puck was in the net for 2 seconds before the ref noticed.

Or, take a gander at this still I took:

The puck has already hit the back of the net and bounced back towards the goal line.  The red light is on.  The horn has blown.  The spotlights are on the ice.  Two Sabers players have had enough time to put their arms up in the air to cheer.  Players in the scrum are starting to get back up to their feet.  And the ref still doesn't know where the puck is.

I just find this call/non-call fascinating and kinda hilarious.  The outcome of the game doesn't matter tremendously to me at all compared to how bizarre this play turned out to be.

 

[AvroArrow]

Not that it's a big deal but if he knew where the puck was why was he staring into the scrum when the puck was in the net?

Because he's human and it takes a moment for him to react? Maybe, the moment the puck was sent towards the net was when he actually lost sight of it and he checked the net to make sure before blowing the play dead? He does seem to at least have a pretty good idea as to where the puck was and what direction it went, even if if took him a fraction of a second to react.

It's possible the ref is merely trying to get a better view when the puck goes in.  Hence, his delayed reaction.  He's certainly moving as if he's tracking the puck and trying to see around legs and bodies and such.  Plus, you see him almost blow the whistle a few times, making me think he lost sight for a moment, but found the puck.

I'm not saying definitively that the call was correct or not, just that there's no real evidence that the puck was out of sight long enough to blow the whistle.  Only the ref really knows.