During the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames, there was a controversial call on an apparent goal by Matt Stajan. During the replays it appears that while the puck is sitting on top of Ray Emery, Ryan Getzlaf slyly grabs the puck, hides it behind him, and then discreetly drops it out of harms way. This is clearly in violation of the rules of hockey, but the play happened so quickly that the referee didn't see it. So the play went to the War Room in Toronto, where it must have been past their bed time because they seemed to miss a pretty obvious call. Now with most reviews, questions will arise that will never get answered like:

1. Did the officials in Toronto have all the replays that the television audience had? If not, why didn't they?
2. During the course of their replay discussion did they even contemplate Getzlaf taking the puck?
3. Did they talk to the on ice official about them seeing Getzlaf take the puck?
4. If they saw Getzlaf take the puck, but couldn't conclude that it had crossed the line, why didn't they award a penalty shot?

The problem with the replay system is every once and a while, there will be a call made on common sense. They will make a call that can deduce where the puck is even though you can't actually see it. Now when plays like the Getzlaf incident happen, you have to wonder where that common sense is in the War Room.
"Gentlemen you can't fight in here. This is the War Room" - (Dr. Strangelove)

The hockey community demands an explanation on this call even though it's probable that none will come. The integrity of the game has been so shot by individuals like Mike Murphy, mainly because the NHL refuses to acknowledge when it makes mistakes. The NFL has a weekly show, where they go over calls. Why can't the NHL come out and discuss this play? It's a controversial play, and it's a really important decision that cost the Calgary Flames a goal in a close game. Now the call alone didn't cost them the game, but the guys in the War Room are still very much part of the game and should be held just as accountable.

Speaking of being accountable, there's another issue at stake: Ryan Getzlaf outright lies in an interview after the second period, when he says that it "wasn't him" that took the puck off Emery. If the puck didn't cross the line, why did Getzlaf say that it "wasn't him" that took the puck off Emery? If he never touched the puck, then he would have just flat out denied that anyone touched it, rather than implying that someone did, even if it wasn't him. Is lying part of the game now? It would have made no difference to the call if Getzlaf had come out and said that he did take it off the line. It would have made this discussion so much easier if he had, but instead NHL fans are forced to live with the fact that common sense will not be used in close calls because the NHL upper office are full of incompetents. Either that, or like most old men, can't make close calls on games out West because being in Toronto, they've already turned into pumpkins.
 

Originally posted at Betfair.net