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nelson951
03-31-2006, 11:22 AM
WHL Playoffs: T-birds still upset about goal in Game 3
By Jim Riley

Special to The Seattle Times


Rob Sumner is beyond outrage about the controversial goal that handed the Portland Winter Hawks a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Game 3 of the opening-round Western Hockey League playoff series.

The win put the Winter Hawks ahead two games to one in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 scheduled tonight at the Rose Garden. Game 5 will be at KeyArena on Saturday.

Sumner, Seattle's second-year coach, said there's no controversy because the photographic evidence is so clear.

"It's not like it's an opinion. The puck went in after it was hit with a high stick and shouldn't have counted," Sumner said. "The video is crystal clear. There's nothing we can do about it, so we just have to move forward."

By rule, if the puck is knocked in by a stick above the cross bar, the goal should be waved off.

The T-birds distributed a video of the game-winning goal through e-mail, and a photo published in the Vancouver Columbian showed Brian Woolger's stick about 2 feet above the net when it hit the puck and caused it to drop into the net.

Referee Derek Zalaski ruled the goal was good and did not confer with his linesmen. Goal judges are allowed to help only when there is a question of whether the puck crossed the goal line, and the WHL does not allow a referee to view video replay.
"We couldn't even get it so much as talked about," Sumner said. "It was like he wanted to get the game going again right away. It was so obvious, but there was nothing I could say or do."

Kevin Muench, the WHL's director of officials, declined to give his opinion after he had watched the tape the T-birds sent to the league.

"I wish we could use video replay, but we can't," Muench said. "We don't have the capability to do it at all our facilities, and it wouldn't be fair to do it at some games and not all the games."

Seattle goaltender Bryan Bridges, who was bumped into as Woolger headed toward the net, expected the goal to be disallowed and for Portland to receive a penalty.

"It was goaltender interference, and it went in off a high stick," Bridges said. "The bottom line is they got a lucky one and we have to look past it. We still believe we can win this series. We have had much of the play in our favor. Eventually a bounce or two will go our way."

Sumner said he thought his team played well throughout the game, but he said it was tough to come back after the controversial game-winner was scored with 5:36 left in the third period.

"We deserved better," Sumner said. "We won Game 1 and have had two very close games since then. We're still very confident. It takes four wins to take the series, and they've only won two."