WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – THE PROBLEM WITH REFEREES

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 FM & Rock 98.5 FM)

IT’S THE ONE PROBLEM IN SPORTS THAT I FEAR WILL NEVER BE RESOLVED.

OFFICIATING.

TUESDAY NIGHT’S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF GAME BETWEEN THE ISLANDERS AND LIGHTNING IN TAMPA BAY WAS HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL DUE TO TWO BLOWN CALLS.

THE LIGHTNING WON THE GAME 4-2 BUT THE WINNING GOAL FROM ONDREJ PALAT CAME WITH TAMPA HAVING TOO MANY MEN ON THE ICE! (6 SKATERS)

IT’S INEXCUSABLE FOR THAT GOAL TO BE ALLOWED. IT’S ONE THING FOR THE FOUR ZEBRAS ON THE ICE TO MISS IT BUT SINCE IT WAS A GOAL AND SUBJECT TO VIDEO REVIEW, THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR THE VIDEO REPLAY OFFICIALS TO MISS IT TOO.

THIS WAS THE CLOSEST I’VE SEEN NEW YORK COACH BARRY TROTZ TO HAVING A HEART ATTACK ON THE BENCH. (SOMEBODY’D BETTER CHECK ON TROTZIE – THE FORMER REGINA PATS CAPTAIN – THIS MORNING BY THE WAY).

BUT THE ISLANDERS PROFITED FROM A BLOWN CALL TOO. BRAYDEN POINT OF TAMPA GOT A GOALIE INTERFERENCE PENALTY IN THE FIRST PERIOD ON A PLAY WHERE THE FORMER MOOSE JAW WARRIOR STAR WAS VERY CLEARLY CROSSCHECKED INTO THE NEW YORK GOALIE.

THE ISLANDERS PROMPTLY CASHED IN ON THE POWERPLAY. BUT THIS WAS ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE VIDEO REVIEW SHOULD’VE OVERTURNED THE CALL, AND THE ENSUING POWERPLAY GOAL WOULD’VE NEVER HAPPENED.

THE PROBLEM WITH REFEREES IS THAT THEY’RE HUMAN. AND WHEN HUMAN BEINGS ARE INVOLVED, THERE’S GOING TO BE MISTAKES. I’M NOT SURE ABOUT NHL REFEREES BUT CFL OFFICIALS ARE GENERALLY RIGHT 97% OF THE TIME. THAT’S A-PLUS TERRITORY. I CAN’T IMAGINE HOCKEY REFS ARE MUCH DIFFERENT.

HOWEVER WITH THE ADVENT OF HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO REPLAY PLUS, I THINK, THE ABILITY TO COUNT, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE FOR ANY CALLS TO BE BLOWN IN 2021.

THE TV ANALYSTS ARE ADVISING THE ISLANDERS AND LIGHTNING TO GET OVER THESE GAFFES BECAUSE THEY TURNED OUT EVEN IN THIS GAME.

BUT THAT’S GOTTA ONLY BE TO ALLOW THE COACHES TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.

BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY DOESN’T FIX THE PROBLEM.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY