Biggest blown calls by referees

[Al Bundy*]

What were some of the biggest blown calls by a ref in the NHL?

My choice is one not as well known, but I feel it's blatant:

In the 1996 Avs/Blackhawks series, Jeremy Roenick had a breakaway and Sandis Ozolinsh clearly tripped him, yet the referee did NOTHING!

That was a far more blatant trip than Leetch/Bure in the 1994 Finals.

When I look at the fact that Colorado's 1996 Cup primarily resulted from not only a referee screwing up a call that proably should have left them down 3-1 to Chicago and the fact that they only got Patrick Roy due to Mario Tremblay's stupidity, I consider the 1996 Avs one of the luckiest and possibly most tainted Cup winners of all-time.

Click to read more...

 

[JaymzB]

Brett Hull, game 6, 1999 final. I don't think I need to say anymore.

 

[Big Phil]

What were some of the biggest blown calls by a ref in the NHL?

My choice is one not as well known, but I feel it's blatant:

In the 1996 Avs/Blackhawks series, Jeremy Roenick had a breakaway and Sandis Ozolinsh clearly tripped him, yet the referee did NOTHING!

That was a far more blatant trip than Leetch/Bure in the 1994 Finals.

When I look at the fact that Colorado's 1996 Cup primarily resulted from not only a referee screwing up a call that proably should have left them down 3-1 to Chicago and the fact that they only got Patrick Roy due to Mario Tremblay's stupidity, I consider the 1996 Avs one of the luckiest and possibly most tainted Cup winners of all-time.[/QUOTE]

What? The Avs were a boatload of talent just waiting to burst free. This was even before 1996. In '95 they were 2nd in points and should have never lost to NYR. By '96 they had Roy, Sakic, Forsberg, Kamensky, Lemieux, Foote and Ozolinzch. This was not a lucky team, this was a talented team deserving of the Cup.

I cant recall the trip on Roenick but Chicago was clearly outclassed in that series, the better team won. They had a chance to really put the screw to Colorado in Game #4 but lost in overtime

 

[SCORE4]

Brett Hull, game 6, 1999 final. I don't think I need to say anymore.

Nuff said.

 

[kmad]

Kerry Fraser's non-call on Wayne Gretzky when he high-sticked Doug Gilmour in the 1993 WCF.

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2008/6/3/545147/profiles-in-pain-may-27-19

 

[Dark Shadows]

Kerry Fraser's non-call on Wayne Gretzky when he high-sticked Doug Gilmour in the 1993 WCF.

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2008/6/3/545147/profiles-in-pain-may-27-19

Yes, that was another big one.

Toronto likely wins the series and loses to Montreal in the finals(Nobody was beating Roy that year)

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Colorado/Quebec was on the wrong end of an even worse call the previous playoffs though. Joe Sakic scored what would have been an important goal, but it's waved off even though the wistle hadn't yet blown. What makes it much worse is the reason why the wistle was blown: NY Ranger Alexei Kovalev, in keeping with his reputation as the most gutless/heartless player of his generation, is flopping on the ice pretending to be hurt at the other end of the rink. It was the turning point of the series and the Nords never recovered. (Ironically, Kovalev cost his own team, Montreal at the time, a crucial playoff game by pulling the same cowardly stunt nearly a decade later)

 

[Beef03]

Brett Hull, game 6, 1999 final. I don't think I need to say anymore.

Without a doubt. The only one that actually physically decided a Stanley Cup on that exact call. Becomes even more glaring in the fact that they could have been bailed out by the video replay, but due to the celebration already in progress they don't even think twice about going upstairs. Then the NHL issues a BS reclarification of the rule in attempt to bail out the officials.

 

[VanIslander]

Brett Hull, game 6, 1999 final. I don't think I need to say anymore.

That is it, exactly.

The refs were enforcing that bloody skate in the crease rule all bloody season and throughout the playoffs, making a huge difference in several games. People hated the rule but applauded the refs for at least being consistently anal about applying it. Then overtime of game 6 in the final series the refs fail to make the call when the non-goal meant the stanley cup? it still *beep* gets me upset

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Didn't Hull have possession?

 

[cynicism]

Yes, that was another big one.

Toronto likely wins the series and loses to Montreal in the finals(Nobody was beating Roy that year)

I have to agree. That would've been a dream final, but even back then I felt they couldn't beat the Habs. Roy was totally dominating and showcasing why he deserves to have his jersey retired and have his mug in the hall.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

1980 Cup finals, game 6. Leon stickle blows a clear offside call (by almost a foot) leading directly to an Isles goal and the Isles first of 4 straight cups...

 

[massivegoonery]

 

[Tricolore#20]

Seems like we know what you think AL!:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=545503

 

[Big Phil]

Let's just make a couple things clear here.

#1 - Even without Hull's goal, Buffalo is NOT the better team over Dallas. I'm sorry Buffalo fans, the words Scott Norwood, Music City Miracle and Brett Hull enrage you but that team simply was not deep enough to beat Dallas.

#2 - For the umpteenth time, Montreal would not have lost to Toronto that year. As a Leaf fan, that bugs me about '93 that we claim we would have won the Cup yet we got embarrassed and couldnt even beat an 87 point team at home in Game #7.

#3 - Flyers fans, the Isles were better in '80, it was their time. Three Cups after that proved it.

Yes these teams got a little bit of luck on their side but they were the better teams even with a horrific call by the ref.

I agree with Kovalev though. I have always been against his cowardly actions. I feel it is no coincidence that he is right in the middle of two of the most controversial playoff goals of all time ('04 is the other)

 

[Doshell Propivo]

#2 - For the umpteenth time, Montreal would not have lost to Toronto that year. As a Leaf fan, that bugs me about '93 that we claim we would have won the Cup yet we got embarrassed and couldnt even beat an 87 point team at home in Game #7.

QUOTE]

No but they would have lost to the Isles with a healthy Turgeon.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

That is it, exactly.

The refs were enforcing that bloody skate in the crease rule all bloody season and throughout the playoffs, making a huge difference in several games. People hated the rule but applauded the refs for at least being consistently anal about applying it. Then overtime of game 6 in the final series the refs fail to make the call when the non-goal meant the stanley cup? it still *beep* gets me upset

what makes it even worse is that as a team Dallas most bennefitted from goals being called off in that manner. In their 4 game sweep of the Oilers in the first round, all 4 games were decided by a single goal, but the Oilers had at least three disallowed because of the stupid rule.

 

[asdf]

#2 - For the umpteenth time, Montreal would not have lost to Toronto that year. As a Leaf fan, that bugs me about '93 that we claim we would have won the Cup yet we got embarrassed and couldnt even beat an 87 point team at home in Game #7.

When did they get embarrassed? That 87 point team had Gretzky (who they didn't have for half the regular season) playing, what he himself called, his best game ever.

I'm not saying the Leafs would have won the Cup for sure, but I don't think it's a given the Habs would have won. Most likely they would have given the way Roy was playing, but Gilmour was playing unbelievable as well.

Whichever side would have won, one thing I think many would agree is that it would have been a classic series; one that we will never see again unless the league goes through realignment.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

When did they get embarrassed? That 87 point team had Gretzky (who they didn't have for half the regular season) playing, what he himself called, his best game ever.

I'm not saying the Leafs would have won the Cup for sure, but I don't think it's a given the Habs would have won. Most likely they would have given the way Roy was playing, but Gilmour was playing unbelievable as well.

Whichever side would have won, one thing I think many would agree is that it would have been a classic series; one that we will never see again unless the league goes through realignment.

Even if Gretzky is called for the penalty, there is still no guarantee they win the game. The Leafs would have had an excellent opportunity, but still had to score before the Kings did. It's not as if the Leafs were robbed of the winning goal or anything.

 

[VanIslander]

Didn't Hull have possession?

the rule on the books that season and it was heavily enforced: skate of any attacking player in crease and no goal! possession had nothing to do with it! the rule was a bad one, an overreaction to concerns about goalies getting injured. the rule was changed after that season but the inconsistently to apply it so bloody dogmatically then at the most crucial time not to have...

Even without Hull's goal, Buffalo is NOT the better team over Dallas. I'm sorry Buffalo fans, the words Scott Norwood, Music City Miracle and Brett Hull enrage you but that team simply was not deep enough to beat Dallas.

Are you kidding yourself? It was OT of game 6 of the stanley cup finals. "Not deep enough" has nothing to do with it. Anybody could have decided that game. And in a game 7 situation, anything goes, especially with Hasek in net.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

First one I thought of was the phantom goal Philadelphia scored against the Sabres in game 2 of the 2000 quarterfinals. How the officials managed to blow that one with video replay still boggles my mind.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Brett Hull, game 6, 1999 final. I don't think I need to say anymore.

Yep.

Let's just make a couple things clear here.

#1 - Even without Hull's goal, Buffalo is NOT the better team over Dallas. I'm sorry Buffalo fans, the words Scott Norwood, Music City Miracle and Brett Hull enrage you but that team simply was not deep enough to beat Dallas.

Uh, so even were this true, which is debatable, are you suggesting that the better team always wins? You're not a Hurricanes fan by any chance, are you?

First one I thought of was the phantom goal Philadelphia scored against the Sabres in game 2 of the 2000 quarterfinals. How the officials managed to blow that one with video replay still boggles my mind.

Wow, totally forgot about that one. Yeah, that was a load of crap.

Sticking with the "Sabres getting screwed in the playoffs" theme, the series in '98 against the Caps ended with an OT goal where the linesman had his arm up for an icing, a Sabres D-man nonchalantly tapped the puck, not realizing that the linesman apparently changed his mind, and the Caps scored because the entire Sabres team thought it was icing.

I believe that was also the same play where Peca's stick got jammed in the boards and he couldn't get it dislodged. Ridiculous.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Let's just make a couple things clear here.

#1 - Even without Hull's goal, Buffalo is NOT the better team over Dallas. I'm sorry Buffalo fans, the words Scott Norwood, Music City Miracle and Brett Hull enrage you but that team simply was not deep enough to beat Dallas.

Dallas was definitely the better team, and I really think that has a lot to do with the goal being allowed to stand. Dallas had two prominent American players in Modano and captain Hatcher, and the Cup was about to head to a non-traditional southern US market for the first time. I don't think it's any stretch to suggest that Bettman and the league were pulling for Dallas. I'm NOT suggesting any conspiracy theory or anything like that, but I think that whole situation, and the "Dallas probably would have won anyway" line of thinking, made it a lot easier for the NHL to brush the fact that they screwed up under the rug.

The thing with just assuming Dallas would have won is that the Stars had been far from dominant that playoffs, they were playing with fire continually.

They swept Edmonton in round 1, but that was an extremely close sweep. An absolutely bogus call jobbed the Oilers out of a crucial goal in Game 3 that could have changed momentum, and all four games were either 2-1 or 3-2 scorelines.

Up 2-0 on the Blues in round 2, the Stars lost a pair of OT games in St. Louis to let the Blues back in. They finally finished them with an OT win of their own in Game 6.

Tied with Colorado 2-2 in the conference final, the Stars melted down at home, losing 7-5, probably the first time they'd allowed that many goals all season. They dug in and got the job done to get to the finals though with a pair of 4-1 wins to take the series in seven.

But Dallas went out and dropped Game 1 to Buffalo, and let them back into the series with a loss in Game 4. In Game 6 they just couldn't beat Hasek until that famous goal.

This wasn't a case of an unbeatable team ploughing through everyone and winning a series that was already decided with a suspect goal. Dallas had been scratching out wins and dodging bullets all spring, there's no reason not to think they could have been burned by letting the Sabres off the hook.

 

[seventieslord]

Let's just make a couple things clear here.

#1 - Even without Hull's goal, Buffalo is NOT the better team over Dallas. I'm sorry Buffalo fans, the words Scott Norwood, Music City Miracle and Brett Hull enrage you but that team simply was not deep enough to beat Dallas.

#2 - For the umpteenth time, Montreal would not have lost to Toronto that year. As a Leaf fan, that bugs me about '93 that we claim we would have won the Cup yet we got embarrassed and couldnt even beat an 87 point team at home in Game #7.

#3 - Flyers fans, the Isles were better in '80, it was their time. Three Cups after that proved it.

Yes these teams got a little bit of luck on their side but they were the better teams even with a horrific call by the ref.

I agree with Kovalev though. I have always been against his cowardly actions. I feel it is no coincidence that he is right in the middle of two of the most controversial playoff goals of all time ('04 is the other)

It seems to be a forgotten fact that Buffalo would have still had to score the next goal, and win the next game in Dallas, if the Hull goal had been (properly) called off.

Also, Toronto would have had to beat Montreal who seemed to have some crazy destiny on their side, as well as the best playoff goalie of all-time. It seemed like Destiny for the Leafs too, though, until the high stick.

These were huge, major blown calls, but of course neither is 100% responsible for costing one team the cup. There's still a lot more to consider.

 

[DaveG]

First one I thought of was the phantom goal Philadelphia scored against the Sabres in game 2 of the 2000 quarterfinals. How the officials managed to blow that one with video replay still boggles my mind.

Was that the "Six Hole" goal? That one definitely has to be up there as one of the biggest screwjobs I can remember, especially when they went to replay and still called it a goal.