The issue of instant replay is one of those hot-button topics that seems to keep coming back like a fungus. And in the last two Gophers series, it has again reared its hideous head.
The first case came Saturday, Oct. 17, when the Gophers played Minnesota-Duluth.
About midway through the second period, the Bulldogs Ryan Homstol shot the puck which was deflected off defenseman Bill Kohn, then off goaltender Adam Hauser.
The puck seemingly crossed the line for a goal before it was swiped out of the net by Minnesota’s Reggie Berg.
If the score counted, it would have tied the game at 2-2.
“The disallowed goal was a big swing,” Bulldogs coach Mike Sertich said, his voice trailing off as he mentioned instant replay.
Incident two: Minnesota is on a power-play two minutes into the St. Cloud State game Friday.
Gophers’ freshman defender Jordan Leopold moves in from the point and lets loose a shot that is deflected by Wyatt Smith’s skate and beats goaltender Doug Meyer.
Television replays showed that Smith seemed to have deliberately stuck his skate out in order to direct the puck — a clear infraction of the rules, which would have disallowed the goal.
It would have been a perfect opportunity to utilize instant replay. The play happened in plain sight and probably wouldn’t have taken more than a couple of minutes to correct the call. But there is no instant replay in the NCAA.
St. Cloud coach Craig Dahl had his own opinion of the goal.
“I don’t think it should have counted,” Dahl said. “But the referees, they don’t always agree with my calls.”
Although the referee didn’t agree with Dahl, he agreed with coach Doug Woog.
“It’s all right to stick your skate out,” Woog said, “as long as you don’t direct it.”
Although questioning instant replay for this year is moot, these two muffed calls by the officials could have been changed with the system that is currently in place in the National Hockey League.
Freaky Dekey
The freak goal credited to Minnesota’s Mike Anderson during Friday’s game might go down as the second-weirdest goal ever to happen in Mariucci Arena.
The second nominee happened Jan. 17 last season against Denver when Stuart Senden scored his first collegiate goal. Only he didn’t have to do the work.
As a Pioneer defender corralled the puck, he did what could only be described as faking out his own goalie. He went left, then right and beat Denver’s goaltender Stephen Wagner top-shelf on his left side.
The question is — which goal is more strange?
“Well, not to take anything away from Stu,” Anderson said, “but that guy deked out his own goalie. He made a play.”
He said it
Woog, on the 3-0 shutout victory Friday.
“When you don’t give up any goals, you’ve got a good shot at winning.” Woog said.
Slapshots
Adam Hauser has not only won two straight starts, he also has not let up a goal in his last 106:42 in goal.
Things weren’t all bad for the Gophers on Saturday, especially for the special teams. The power play unit went 3-for-6 and scored a short-handed goal, and the fifth goal was scored on a 6-on-5 when Willy Marvin left the bench.