Scout
10-02-2007, 04:18 PM
Regardless, the issue that Rod Pedersen wrote about is in regard to officiating and goal judges. Yes, there was a controversial goal counted in the Blades-Kootenay game on Sunday. Dustin Sylvester one-timed a centring pass from Ben Maxwell off the rush with just over a minute remaining in the first period and the Blades leading 1-0. The red light flashed on and off, referee Ryan Thompson gave the "wash-out" signal and play continued for another 10 seconds until the whistle blew. At that time, the Ice asserted that the shot had gone in. Referee Thompson explained he didn't see it go in...but the goal-judge behind Garrett Zemlak in the Blades' net caught the attention of Thompson and explained to him that the puck did, indeed, cross the line. Thompson said goal and it was the Blades turn to protest...to no avail! Afterwards, Zemlak and the coaches contended Sylvester's shot hit the post and stayed out, hence the referee's initial call. Is this a case of a homer goal judge? I choose to answer the question with one of my own...does the WHL have to start utilizing "neutral" goal judges and other minor officials? Since the obvious answer is not likely, I guess homer goal judges is something to deal with! However, I would like to see a little more vigilant attempt at trying to have cameras situated over top of both nets in all buildings to help out. The quick, "it can't be done in all buildings" answer doesn't cut it with me...not in these days of advanced technology. Somehow, someway, those cameras can be hung. The WHL has become too big of a business to have a wrong call, potentially, cost an organization (or organizations) hundreds of thousands of dollars!!
There was also the penalty taken by Colton Gillies with five minutes left in the third period...one that the Blades dominated five-on-five against the Ice, having scored early to take a 3-2 lead. Gillies had his helmet fall off his head in the Kootenay right wing corner. He was tabbed for not playing with proper equipment, a minor penalty during which Kootenay scored the tying goal, sending the game to overtime. The Blades were upset afterwards because the video shows that Gillies didn't touch the puck. He did make a motion towards it and I thought, from my vantage point, he had touched it. But I'm not going to argue with the video (my eyes aren't that good!!). My question is, does attempting to make a play on the puck, without touching it, before heading off the ice, trigger the penalty call? Or, does the player without a helmet on have to touch the puck before he is penalized? I'll leave that for someone to answer as I haven't had a chance to research this just yet!
In all, the Blades' weekend was just one point out of six...but it could've just as easily been six out of six points. The Blades are "The gang that can't shoot straight". They've scored just 13 goals in six games. An average of just over two per game isn't going to cut it. Secondly, special teams have to be better. In 3-1 losses Friday in Medicine Hat and Saturday in Lethbridge, the opposition each managed two power play goals against the Blades while Saskatoon didn't respond with even one! On Sunday, the Blades did score on the power play...a 5-on-3...to end an 0-for-18 slide with the man advantage. But, the Ice still scored twice on the power play!
At 1-4-1-0, Saskatoon is left to wonder, a) when will the "bounces" and breaks go their way? And, b) Who is going to step up and score the goals? There is no definitive answer to question a)...and, right now, 17-year-old Finnish rookie Jyri Niemi is the team's leading goal-scorer through six games with 3! I will say this, you can't leave Niemi with space to unwind his slap shot...it's a rocket!! Just ask Kootenay netminder Thomas Heemskerk!
I have some more research to do before I can make another post regarding a pressing issue surrounding the Blades. Hopefully, I'll be able to be back on here tomorrow. After all, unlike other bloggers who might wish to bash me for taking a couple of days away from my lap top, I do have a life!! LOL!!!!!
There was also the penalty taken by Colton Gillies with five minutes left in the third period...one that the Blades dominated five-on-five against the Ice, having scored early to take a 3-2 lead. Gillies had his helmet fall off his head in the Kootenay right wing corner. He was tabbed for not playing with proper equipment, a minor penalty during which Kootenay scored the tying goal, sending the game to overtime. The Blades were upset afterwards because the video shows that Gillies didn't touch the puck. He did make a motion towards it and I thought, from my vantage point, he had touched it. But I'm not going to argue with the video (my eyes aren't that good!!). My question is, does attempting to make a play on the puck, without touching it, before heading off the ice, trigger the penalty call? Or, does the player without a helmet on have to touch the puck before he is penalized? I'll leave that for someone to answer as I haven't had a chance to research this just yet!
In all, the Blades' weekend was just one point out of six...but it could've just as easily been six out of six points. The Blades are "The gang that can't shoot straight". They've scored just 13 goals in six games. An average of just over two per game isn't going to cut it. Secondly, special teams have to be better. In 3-1 losses Friday in Medicine Hat and Saturday in Lethbridge, the opposition each managed two power play goals against the Blades while Saskatoon didn't respond with even one! On Sunday, the Blades did score on the power play...a 5-on-3...to end an 0-for-18 slide with the man advantage. But, the Ice still scored twice on the power play!
At 1-4-1-0, Saskatoon is left to wonder, a) when will the "bounces" and breaks go their way? And, b) Who is going to step up and score the goals? There is no definitive answer to question a)...and, right now, 17-year-old Finnish rookie Jyri Niemi is the team's leading goal-scorer through six games with 3! I will say this, you can't leave Niemi with space to unwind his slap shot...it's a rocket!! Just ask Kootenay netminder Thomas Heemskerk!
I have some more research to do before I can make another post regarding a pressing issue surrounding the Blades. Hopefully, I'll be able to be back on here tomorrow. After all, unlike other bloggers who might wish to bash me for taking a couple of days away from my lap top, I do have a life!! LOL!!!!!