CAPS HAD GOAL NULLIFIED ... WHY NOT BLUE JACKETS, TOO?

 

How in the world did we manage to get along without 

being able to overturn a goal after a check of instant 

replay? For example, pro soccer (English Premier 

League) has taken it to ridiculous lengths when VAR 

detects a player offsides by a silly millimeter – even less, 

if that’s possible.

Saturday afternoon it was hockey’s turn. The Washington 

Capitals had an early goal by JACOB CHYCHRUN

 taken away. At first it appeared Tampa Bay coach JON 

COOPER’s challenge was based on goaltender 

interference … which was questionable, at best, because 

Lightning defenseman RYAN McDONAGH clearly 

knocked PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS into ANDREI 

VASILEVSKIY who couldn’t recover in time to keep the 

puck out of the net … But, no, Cooper’s complaint was 

based on Chychrun knocking the puck down with a high 

stick – likewise a no-no – 13 seconds earlier … Come on! 

You’re telling us a rules infraction of any kind during the 

same series in the opponent’s end can be grounds to 

overturn a score – as long as the rival coach objects? Who 

knew?

Better the league fines the officials for missing it and, if 

they continue to be guilty, send them on their way. 

YOU’RE FIRED! … What if, say, an offensive player 

becomes seriously injured when, in effect, he was going 

all-out ... for nothing? It’s a question worthy of 

consideration by soccer as well as hockey.

EXPLAIN, PLEASE … why Detroit Red Wings’ coach

 TODD McCLELLAN didn’t challenge Saturday night’s 

game-winning goal by Columbus’ 5-8 JUSTIN 

DANFORTH, who clearly, no-mistake was guilty of a 

classic high sticking of 6-4  SIMON EDVINSSON en 

route? Or was that an exception to the above? And, if it 

was, call it dumb, stupid, nothing could be strong enough 

… Danforth outhustled the Detroit defenseman for the 

puck, smacked him in the face with his stick then broke in 

alone on goalie CAM TALBOT, who made the save but 

didn’t control the rebound … which Danforth did and 

snapped a tie at three with 2:17 to go. Final score was 5-3 

before a crowd of 94,000-plus, second largest to see an 

NHL game, at Ohio Stadium, home ofTHE Ohio State 

football … You don’t think DYLAN LARKINhad a 

premonition, do you? Interviewed by the NHL Network at 

the site 24 hours earlier, the Red Wings’ captain refused 

to follow the party line about how great the outdoor series 

was. “This place is terrible [for hockey],” Larkin said, 

then explained why (something about the nearest 

spectators being so far way it led to faulty depth 

perception for the players). Maybe the officials, too. They 

missed the infraction that would have negated Danforth’s 

goal, after all.

CATCHING UP: Tampa Bay won 3-1 Saturday to build 

its winning streak to eight. Caps lost third straight, all in 

regulation time, for the first time this season and fell to 

38-11-8 but still retained comfortable lead in Atlantic 

Division ... Small consolation was ALEX OVECHKIN’s 

NHL-leading 31st goal that brought the Great 8 to within 

10 of breaking WAYNE GRETZKY’s all-time best (894) 

… Vasilevskiy is 11-11 against Washington “… super-

human against everyone else,” said TV voice of the Caps

 JOE BENINATI, 59, who still holds the lacrosse record 

for saves (263) in a season at Bowdoin College … With 

Friday’s 3-2 win over the Rangers at Madison Square 

Garden, Toronto had won 40 straight games when leading 

after two periods … a streak that began a season ago.

Until next time ...