Good feeling

Pandolfo thought officials would allow kicked-in goal

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Ticker) -- Jay Pandolfo insisted he was not worried while NHL officials conducted a video review of his go-ahead goal in the second period. But he had reason to.

Twice during the regular season, the New Jersey Devils were on the wrong end of calls involving pucks that hit skates and found the net.

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The first occurred in a 2-1 overtime loss at Detroit on Nov. 27.

John Madden scored the apparent game-winner in overtime, but the goal was disallowed when the video replay official ruled he used his skate to direct the puck into the net.

On Dec. 28, Kip Miller of the Washington Capitals scored the lone goal in a 2-1 overtime loss at New Jersey, even though replays showed he appeared to use his skate to steer the puck past goaltender Martin Brodeur.

"We have been through it a couple of times," Devils coach Pat Burns said. "I think [referee] Bill McCreary has to make the call that the goal was no good. We all felt confident that it was going to be called a goal."

On Thursday, Pandolfo crashed the net and had a rebound of Brian Gionta's shot hit his right skate and trickle just past the outstretched pad of goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere. It was the game-winner in a 6-3 victory that gave the Devils a three games to two lead in the Stanley Cup finals.

"When they went upstairs, I kind of knew if they had a good look at it they would call I didn't kick it," Pandolfo said. "I was just trying to stop in front and it just went off my foot and trickled in. I was hoping they weren't going to take that one away."

In a statement, NHL director of officiating Andy van Hellemond said the goal was allowed because "Pandolfo did not use a distinct kicking motion."

"The video review clearly shows that Pandolfo was in the process of stopping when the puck deflected off his skate," van Hellemond said.

The Devils also were smarting from a goal Pandolfo scored in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against Ottawa that was not credited because NHL officials did not catch the right replay in time.

 

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