There’s no questioning that Marian Hossa’ goal woke up the sleep-walking Blackhawks in their 4-3 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center on Wednesday.
But there are a ton of questions regarding if it was a good goal or not.
Take a look at Hossa’s goal at 7:52 in the second period. Below is the video. Hossa appears to kick the puck, which rolls over the goal line.
It’s important to remember that referee Dan O’Halloran ruled it a good goal. So conclusive evidence was needed to overturn it — not decide whether it was a goal.
In short, those in the NHL’s War Room in Toronto ruled there wasn’t enough to wave it off. They couldn’t find evidence that the puck did NOT cross the goal line, especially when Ty Conklin covers the puck with his glove.
As far as the kicking motion, the War Room officials ruled that Hossa did kick the puck, but also that it hit the post and then was tipped by his stick, making it a good goal.
Hossa’s goal — although not the game-winner — may have saved the Hawks’ playoff lives. It enlivened the team and sparked their three-goal rally.
“The explanation was although there was a kicking motion, it touched his stick, and the puck was in the net,” Blues coach Davis Payne said. “From the angles I saw, I never saw it go completely in the net and I never saw it hit his stick. I don’t like the ruling on that goal. At that point we had a lot of the control of the play, seemed like we were controlling the game positionally and territorially, and that really got them started.”
It also enraged Conklin.
“They called it a goal on the ice, which is fine, that’s understandable,” Conklin said. “But the reason we have video replay is to get the right call. They’re probably going to make it into the playoffs anyways, but do we really have to make it that obvious that the league wants them in? They’re going to get in anyways.
“It was a close play, but the puck never crossed the line. I was sitting there watching it, and I knew it wasn’t over. We wanted to come in here and play a solid game. We know what their situation is. I don’t think we’re trying to knock them out more than anyone else would, we’re just trying to come in here and play good hockey.”
