League admits video goal judge erred

Upon further review, it was indeed the wrong call.

The Ontario Hockey League completed its review of Sunday’s controversial first goal in Game 2 of the Western Conference quarter-final series between the Windsor Spitfires and London Knights.

Knights centre Cliff Pu was awarded the opening goal of the game off a scramble in front of the Windsor net. Officials on the ice ruled it no goal, but, after a lengthy delay, video goal judge Ray McManus overturned the call on the ice and ruled it a goal.

“It’s our position, we don’t think there was enough evidence (to overturn the call on the ice),” OHL vice-president Ted Baker said on Wednesday. “We believe it should have been inconclusive.”

London won the game 5-2 with two goals into an empty Windsor net to tie the series at 1-1.

“If you look at the fast motion, the puck is moving as it’s going across the goal-line,” Baker said. “If you’re guessing, it’s probably in, but you can’t guess. We cannot freeze-frame it and see conclusively that it’s over the line.”

Baker did say the video goal judge followed proper procedure and Brad Beer, who is an OHL supervisor of officials, was there for support. Aside from acknowledging the error, the review will not change the outcome of that game.

“Errors are made from time to time,” Baker said. “We’ve had no issues (in the past) with this video goal judge. We don’t think there was any malice intent to award a goal. The goal judge, in his mind, felt there was conclusive evidence.

“From the view that we have at the office, which is the same view they had in London, we can’t conclusively say the puck is over the line.”

Baker was quick to point out that the video goal judge was hired by the league and not by the home team and that is the case with all 20 teams in the league.

Still, Baker did not rule out that McManus, who is a former on-ice official, could be pulled from doing future games. “We take it under advisement as to how we move forward,” Baker said.

Replays go through the league office for the conference finals and league final and Baker said, at this time, there is no talk of changing that. “We do always challenge ourselves on how we can do better,” Baker said. “That might be something we look at, but we try not to be reactionary.”