In the playoffs it is inevitable that there will be a few questionable or missed calls. Wednesday’s game 7 between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings featured a few missed calls here and there as the refs attempted to let the two teams play it out. BUT there was one call in particular near the end of the game that will go down as one of the worst calls made in the 2013 playoffs so far. I know I am not the only one who was shaking their head at that no goal call.

There was just under two minutes left as the game seemed destined for overtime in a tight 1-1 game that is until the Blackhawks scored the go ahead goal. Cue the madhouse going bonkers as the fans were up on their feet as only game 7 intensity can when it appears the home side will win. That is until the arena realizes that the refs have in fact waived off the goal and it remains a tied game. Everyone in that arena and watching on TV was stunned at the call….stunned I tell you. I may not be a fan of Chicago BUT I know a bad call when I see one & that was most definitely a bad call and they were forced to think for a moment of the what if possibilities. That call could have cost Chicago the game and the series, that no goal would have haunted them for the summer had Detroit ended up winning that game. We all know what happened, Chicago came out in overtime and made no mistake in getting back the goal they were robbed of to take the series and move on the playoffs. 

No this call did not end up costing Chicago the series BUT it could have. There are always controversial calls/non-calls made in the playoffs BUT this one takes the cake. I may not be a fan of Chicago but as a fan of the game when the refs make a gaffe that huge that could and almost does impact the outcome of the game and series…it makes one question: who is pulling the strings in this puppet game?[*cough*Bettman*cough]  

Just 4 teams remain and you can bet those teams and their fans will be hoping that there be no more nonsense calls like that one. Will there be calls missed? Probably but hopefully none that are on this scale where it could impact a series outcome. The kicker is that these were seasoned refs making the calls last night…and you can bet had the game gone the other way the blame would most certainly lie with the ref who made the controversial call.

Best of luck to the final 4 teams [Chicago, LA, Boston, & Pittsburgh]! I cannot cheer for Boston, LA or for Chicago though I respect the talent that those THREE rosters boast. I will cheer for Pittsburgh mostly because of Iginla who deserves to win it all after everything he endured the last few years. No I am not a bandwagon fan BUT I do enjoy the game itself beyond my Canucks. So, if other Canucks fans find themselves drawn to watching hockey during the final four and cheering for any of the teams there will be no judgement. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion as to whoever they want to support whether that is for Pittsburgh, Boston, LA or Chicago.

There will always be controversy and missed calls in one playoff series but you hope that if controversy and missed calls combine that it does not end up determining a series outcome.

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.