Controversy In Columbus

If you missed it which I unfortunately did, apparently there was a controversy in Columbus last night. With the scored knotted at two between the Blue Jackets and Blues, Columbus forward Anson Carter had an apparent go-ahead goal taken away due to an extreme circumstance. Here is how it was described from an AP article with quotes:

AP recap

With the score tied at 2-2 at the 7:07 mark of the third period, Anson Carter's wrist shot from the right wing handcuffed Legace, who fell backward into the net with the puck rolling underneath him and apparently over the goal line. His leg blocked an overhead view of the puck, and after a review, it was ruled it was not a goal.

"You guys should know better than I would. Didn't you see the replay?" Legace asked reporters. "I had no idea where the puck was. It went to Carter and he threw it at the net. It hit the side of the net. I felt it go under my right leg. I didn't know where it was."

When referee Dave Jackson waved off the goal, a sparse crowd because of a snowstorm booed the result.

"We never saw the puck cross the line at any time, which is why we initiated a review," Jackson said. "The video was inconclusive, so the call stood."

Not longer after, the Blues went ahead and then added an empty netter to post the win. Good thing it was between two teams not headed for the playoffs. Can you imagine the response? This wasn't the only controversy last night. There was no excuse for officials to miss an obvious Too Many Men On The Ice against Chicago before Tuomu Ruutu scored to put them ahead 4-3 at Pittsburgh before the Pens rallied to pull out the 'W.' Unlike the other teams, the Penguins were playing for something. Had Calder candidate Evgeni Malkin not tied it shortly after, Pittsburgh would've been ripped off and lost out on even getting a point. There's something wrong when this kind of stuff happens. And this is the sort of thing the NHL doesn't need.

On the plus-side from today, a noteworthy item which will make fans very happy courtesy of The NHL Today:

FROM THE BUSINESS DESK
Upper Deck and the National Hockey League have joined forces to create an All- Star caliber event for fans in 28 arenas – Upper Deck Hockey Card Night. This program squared off at center ice in late January and runs through March. In all, 28 NHL teams will participate in the program. The Hockey Card Night Giveaway will provide the first 10,000 fans in each participating city a complimentary team pack.


I want to commend Upper Deck and the NHL for teaming up to do something really nice for their fans. My only question is why are two teams not participating? Which two aren't? Because whoever they are, shame on them! If you want to make fans, this is the kind of PR you have to do. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved. It's too bad they can't hand out the giveaway to everyone in the arena. But 10,000 is still a very nice gesture. Good stuff!


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