NEW YORK — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman offered his unequivocal support Tuesday for the ruling that upheld the Anaheim Ducks’ overtime goal against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.
“It wasn’t a controversy, it was absolutely the right call,” Bettman said in a meeting with Associated Press Sports Editors at the NHL headquarters in New York City. “Because of the technology that we currently use and the cameras that we have inside the net, you could see it, knew for certain that it would be in and over the line.”
Bettman’s response comes two days after Ryan Poehling’s goal was extensively reviewed to determine whether it fully crossed the goal line, before being allowed to stand in a 4-3 win. The Ducks lead 3-1 and have a chance to clinch the series in playing Game 5 at Edmonton on Tuesday night.
Though on-ice officials ruled Poehling scored, questions were raised as to whether there was enough visible evidence to show the puck crossing the line 2:29 into overtime.
Poehling’s sharp-angle shot hit an Edmonton player’s skate in front and trickled under goalie Tristan Jarry. The puck creeped through Jarry’s legs, appearing to barely cross the goal line, though the top portion of the puck was hidden by the goalie’s skate blade.
NHL replay officials determined there was no reason to overturn the on-ice call.
“I thought I saw some white [between the puck and the goal line] when I was behind the net,” Poehling said. “Then everyone was celebrating. Did it go in? I’m like, ‘I think so?’ But yeah, I thought so right away.”
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch was not convinced.
“I can’t see it going in,” Knoblauch said. “I can’t see the line. … The [initial] goal call on the ice was probably about 60 to 90 seconds after [the shot], maybe even more. They huddled when they got to center ice and then they made the [initial] call that it was a good goal. I don’t know. Wasn’t very definitive.”
Bettman on Tuesday said the NHL is currently testing technological advancements that would further assist replay officials in determining goals. He didn’t reveal any details or provide a timeline on when the technology would be introduced.
