Now if you’re wondering this isn’t the red line that is there but doesn’t exist for NHL purposes anymore. Nope this is the really thin one that separates a goal from not a goal. How many times have you heard the dreaded phrase “The play is now being reviewed” and immediately cringed? If you didn’t….check your pulse….seriously! Thanks to the wonders of instant replay and numerous camera angles that MSG had…something tells me they had a clearer view of the play in question last night between Tampa and New Jersey. The “War Room” in Toronto has what it seems to be 500 TV’s (really it is far less) but it always seems they are a little slow in making the call. I know they want to make sure they get it right but hey the fans are waiting…and they want the verdict!
The review took minutes and almost right from the first angle MSG showed…the puck clearly did not cross the line fully….hell it barely touched the line if at all. What cracked me up was seeing how some Tampa fans felt jilted by the system. The review gods were against them…that sorta thing. Well considering what happened in 2004….I don’t think they should ever feel that way but hey…that’s just me.
The celebration above did not occur at 15:11 of the third period (it occurred in the second period) but Yahoo thinks it did. The names are changed in an effort to make it look like a Tampa Bay Lightning goal celebration. I do not know how long this will stay up…but here is the link. Sadly Steve Downie is still not collecting points for not playing (Yahoo did get to that one)….sorry to all the Downie fantasy owners out there. Seriously, even the 3 stars was kinda suspect. I really thought Brodeur absolutely stole this game. The Devils had no business winning after only mustering 1 shot in the third period. That Parise penalty was awfully questionable…but what can you do really. Bottom line is that there is a thin red line that the puck must cross and fortunately the call didn’t cost the Devils a point.
So how do the three stars get picked…you ask? Well, better yet why is it three stars? I found this great little article on it from SLAM sports…its a fun read. What I find incredibly amusing is that an oil company is the reason why we even have the process in the first place…so the next time you curse out the selections…thank good old Imperial Oil for making you wait till the end of the game to have yet another reason to curse at it. Okay…back to the first question…the three stars are usually selected by a beat writer or one of the tv guys (a member of the media) for the home team. That leads to serious head scratching as well…how objective can they really be? Most TV telecasts select their own and for the most part they are a little more accurate but not much. It is why I scratched my head a bit when Brodeur didn’t get a first or second star. He was the #1 reason why the Devils did win and it’s not just because I’m a Devils fan.
I would love to see someone come up with a formula for picking the three stars or even try something different….maybe a top forward, defenseman, and goalie of the game. That number 3 is like the trinity I swear…something has to be sacred about it…especially for a tradition that was started over gas. So for The NHL Arena’s Game Of The Week…I will be selecting..the Fantastic Four….four players who have made a difference in the game. Look for it every Sunday morning…..sort of like the morning paper! Sometimes you have to be different just for the sake of being different.
