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Photo of the night: Ryan Smyth’s controversial third period no-goal

Los Angeles Kings v Ottawa Senators

at Scotiabank Place on November 22, 2010 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Phillip MacCallum

Tonight’s game between the Kings and Senators in Ottawa featured a pair of dubious goal reviews. One came in the first period when Wayne Simmonds opportunity where he jammed the puck home into an empty net was waived off because Sens defenseman Matt Carkner slid into the post and very well may have helped pull the net off its moorings on purpose. The puck didn’t cross the line before the net came off and the goal was disallowed and confirmed on review.

The bigger story came in the third period with the Kings trailing 3-2 and Jack Johnson’s shot from the point was tipped into the net by Ryan Smyth with three seconds left for the apparent game-tying goal. Referee Eric Furlatt immediately waived the goal off saying Smyth tipped it in with a high stick. Once again the play would go to review and after a lengthy replay, Furlatt’s decision was confirmed. The Kings lost the game and discussion turned to whether or not the right call was made. Submitted for your approval (or not), a single snapshot and a moment in time right after Smyth tipped Johnson’s shot.

Los Angeles Kings v Ottawa Senators

at Scotiabank Place on November 22, 2010 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Phillip MacCallum

The cliché says that “a picture is worth a thousand words” and in the case of Ryan Smyth he’s hoping that those words would be “goal.” You can’t always take a picture for what it’s worth because it’s capturing one quick moment in time and not the full sequence of events, but I’m going to just say that I wish Getty Images photographer Phillip MacCallum would’ve had a video camera instead of a regular one so we could see how this played out. According to Rich Hammond of L.A. Kings Insider, the NHL would’ve liked that too.

Mike Murphy, the NHL’s senior vice president of hockey operations, told Jim Fox that video-replays officials had “no view available that would allow them to change the call on the ice,” which is why the no-goal, called on the ice with three seconds left, held up.

That’s unfortunate that with all the cameras available in the arena with two different media crews working the game that there wasn’t a shot from the ice level to give the proper perspective. As for Smyth, his thoughts on things had a hearty dose of veteran savvy.

“Well, when I tipped it I brought my stick back down, so I think it was pretty close. I thought it was a good goal. … It would have been great. Three seconds left. It would have been a nice turning point, for sure.”

It certainly would have. Instead, the Kings will have to bounce back in Montreal on Wednesday and hope that they get a little bit better luck.