Penguins Notebook: Replay snafu by FSN results in suspension
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An injury to goaltender Brent Johnson forced the Penguins to recall goaltender John Curry Monday.
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CALGARY, Alberta -- One FSN Pittsburgh employee has been suspended, and that cable-television outlet and the Penguins offered reaction yesterday after a breakdown in the NHL review process apparently cost Philadelphia a goal last week.
A review of a play to determine whether the Flyers' Simon Gagne scored short-handed in the second period of a 7-4 victory Thursday against the Penguins at Mellon Arena turned up inconclusive evidence of a goal, and so the initial no-goal call by on-ice officials stood. But FSN Pittsburgh had a replay that showed the puck crossing the goal line as goaltender Brent Johnson smothered it. That replay was not available to review staff in Toronto and was not aired until after the review was concluded.
Once a review is concluded and play resumes, NHL rules do not allow for a reversal of a call. If the goal had counted, it would have given the Flyers a 6-3 lead at 17:07 of the second period.
FSN Pittsburgh indefinitely suspended an off-air member of its telecast staff, Lowell MacDonald Jr., son of former Penguins player Lowell MacDonald.
In a statement, FSN Pittsburgh, the local broadcast rights-holder for the Penguins, said: "There is nothing more important than the integrity of the game. During last Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, a definitive replay of a Flyers goal was not aired prior to the conclusion of the official review and, as a result, a Flyers goal was not awarded. Fortunately, this did not change the outcome of the game. Nonetheless, FSN Pittsburgh's failure to provide video to the league officials in a timely fashion was wholly unacceptable. FSN Pittsburgh has addressed this matter and has taken steps to ensure that such a failure does not occur again."
The Penguins followed with a statement: "We fully support FSN Pittsburgh in its reaction to this issue. The integrity of the game is paramount."
The Penguins, who flew to Calgary Monday night after their 4-3 loss at Minnesota, canceled their scheduled practice yesterday. They will be back on the ice this morning in advance of their game tonight against the Flames.
First Published January 13, 2010 12:00 am
