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Too little, too late NHL's lengthy review of video process won't help now
Posted: Tuesday April 25, 2000 01:20 AM
By now, you might have heard that the NHL has put out a memo instructing off-ice, replay and video technicians in the proper way to go about their duties. There's only one problem. The memo came out after the league had been embarrassed by yet another no-goal debacle. The memo, first published in the Buffalo News, was dated two days after John LeClair was credited with a goal that never crossed the goal line. Four days after the goal, it was given to video officials. The memo is from Bryan Lewis, the NHL's Director of Officiating, and deals with the review and confirmation of all goals. You might remember it was Lewis who produced the infamous memo that allowed Brett Hull's controversial Game 6 Cup-winning goal to stand last spring. In this memo, Lewis says it is the responsibility of the Series Supervisor to check the nets prior to the game and that he should, among other things, check that the net does "not contain any holes or imperfections." The memo also says the supervisor should "verify the use of the in-the-net camera along with its proper installation. This will be your indication that this picture [from the Net Cam] will be available to you during the game." The memo also states that linesmen "will check the nets [thoroughly] in an attempt to detect any problem areas that should be fixed prior to the game or period." He also said that they will be checked at the conclusion of each period and after there has been any "heavy traffic" at the net. The memo goes on to state that the goal judge must offer assistance on any and all disputed goals and that a linesman "must be dispatched" or a referee must communicate with the goal judge to get his version of any impending goal." The memo also goes on to say that the Video Goal Judge MUST check and verify all goals and "close plays at the net area" to ensure the accurate results are passed on to the ice level. No goal in the playoffs can be "treated as routine." The memo then goes on to say that the video goal judge "must take his time, exhausting all camera angles provided by the broadcast feed in the Video Goal Judge booth. If more time is needed he must immediately pick up the phone to ice level and the public address announcer and advise that the 'play is under review' ." The memo goes on to point out that this process does not permit the puck to be dropped and play resume without a complete and exhaustive review. The rules allow for a two-minute reviewing process. It also attempts to explain how the linesmen may give information to the referee and that the referee needs to be "respective of the fact his decision may be changed in order to have the right decision rendered." The memo also points out how officials should "allow for a few extra seconds" for the video goal judge to initiate a review so that the technician might back up the tape and start a quick review." What's disturbing about this memo is: A) It came out after the playoffs were under way, and certainly after the controversial goal in Game 2 of the Buffalo-Philadelphia Series; and B) Most every one of the directives were not followed in the LeClair debacle. There's even a very real possibility that this goal was never reviewed until the ESPN tape surfaced some five minutes after the play. A careful review of the Statement by NHL Supervisor John D'Amico issued after that game lends weight to the argument. In his statement, D'Amico notes that after the ESPN net cam angle surfaced, "The series supervisor then reviewed the overhead angle again and it became apparent, when supported by the net camera angle, that the puck had entered the net on the outside of the post." This pretty much destroys commissioner Gary Bettman's argument that the ESPN camera angle was the first evidence and that it arrived too late. The overhead cameras belong to the NHL and they are installed (permanently) in all NHL buildings and replays from those cameras are available to all replay officials in all Video Goal Judge booths. What likely happened here is that the NHL had the evidence from the moment the puck passed through the mesh. And that no one bothered to take a hard look at it until ESPN found the mistake. The NHL has tried mightily to put the incident in the past and move on with the second round of the playoffs. But the issue won't go away. Many in hockey are troubled by the league's decision not to reverse a decision it knew to be wrong in a game in which there was certainly enough time to do so. Others are bothered that the league now certifies goals that were never scored. Still others are bothered by the apparent lack of ability to run a tight ship in the playoffs, especially after the league had such an embarrassing incident last season when the Stanley Cup championship was decided on a similar controversy. Some are just upset because of the ineptitude of the call. Bettman stonewalled everyone, including a number of disgruntled owners upset with the way the league's showcase event ended last spring by telling everyone that "the absolute correct call" was made. It will be different this summer. The league now knows that the absolute incorrect call was made and the league found itself in the very embarrassing position of having no way to correct it. Look for someone's head to roll this offseason to atone for that mistake. Jim Kelley covers the NHL -- and the Sabres -- for the Buffalo News. His notebook and Rumor Mill appear weekly on CNNSI.com. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.
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