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NHL explains why officials waved off Predators’ goal

waveoff

James OBrien

Both of Wednesday’s games featured controversial disallowed goals.

The Detroit Red Wings ultimately overcame Drew Miller’s non-goal following a phantom penalty. Nashville Predators forward Craig Smith seemingly put his team up 1-0 against the red-hot Edmonton Oilers, yet that tally was waved off:

Here’s the explanation via the league’s Situation Room Blog:

At 1:35 of the first period in the Nashville Predators/Edmonton Oilers game, the Situation Room initiated a video review to further examine a play at the Edmonton net. Video review confirmed that the puck did not enter the Edmonton net on Craig Smith’s original shot and that the referee was in the process of blowing his whistle to stop play before the puck crossed the goal line. According to Rule 78.5, apparent goals shall be disallowed “when the Referee deems the play has been stopped, even if he had not physically had the opportunity to stop play by blowing his whistle.” Therefore the referee’s call on the ice stands - no goal Nashville.

The decision certainly drew its critics:

Either way, the contest remains 0-0 as of this moment as Ben Scrivens seems like he’s on the top of his game.

Update: The second period included an odd moment of its own, as play was whistled dead on a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal that wasn’t.

On the bright side, Smith ended up getting a goal tonight, after all.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins