So Refs are not to allowed to be called out but Linesman are open season?

[higgyfan4]

TORONTO -- Colin Campbell feels the pain of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The NHL's senior executive vice-president of hockey operations acknowledged Thursday that linesman Tony Sericolo erred in not whistling the play dead prior to Danny Briere's first goal in the opening game of the Penguins-Flyers series.

"There's no other way to explain it but a missed call," Campbell told The Canadian Press in an interview. "We're as upset as Pittsburgh almost. It's a mistake."

Briere scored Philadelphia's first goal on Wednesday night after being sent in on a breakaway by teammate Brayden Schenn. The long pass came immediately after a neutral zone turnover and replays showed that Briere was a couple feet offside.

The play started a big comeback for the Flyers, who erased a three-goal deficit and beat Pittsburgh 4-3 in overtime. However, the Penguins didn't use it as an excuse for their collapse.

"That's not why we lost the game," coach Dan Bylsma said after the game.

Campbell believes that Sericolo was in position to make the right call but failed to do so because of how quickly the play went from one end of the ice to the other. It appeared as though the linesman considered blowing the play dead just before indicating it was onside.

"It was a quick turnaround," said Campbell. "You can see it was a quick 70-foot pass -- the linesman was up with the play and then had to move quickly back and he saw it from the angle he saw it from.

"But still his job is to get the right call and he didn't."

Sericolo is a veteran linesman with more than 800 games of NHL experience dating back to October 1998. He was among 40 officials -- 20 referees and 20 linesmen -- selected to be part of the pool for playoff assignments.

The blown call could affect how director of officiating Terry Gregson makes staffing decisions moving forward, according to Campbell.

"There's always fallout," he said. "The referees and the linesmen are judged on the work they do as far as how they advance in doing games. If mistakes are made, no matter how difficult they are, there's got to be decisions made on who advances."

A message for Gregson wasn't immediately returned.

NHL unhappy with missed offside call on Flyers goal

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

NHL = Not a Helluva Lot of sense

 

[evolver115]

Meh, whatever. The Pens got away with an icing that led to Dupuis' goal at the end of the first. The refs are only human, and prone to making mistakes.

Danny B is right, it wasn't why they lost the game.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

i think what you have there is an idiot in Colin Campbell who was having a good day and felt like talking and a friendly writer sucked him into throwing an official under the bus ... Collie's done it before ... kinda talking outta turn ... sometimes he'lll throw someone under the bus ... sometimes he wont say a word ... hit and miss

 

[BOSSMANPC]

That's typical of the NHL. The ref's are sacred cows and never make mistakes but linesmen do.

I have always said this is why the NFL is light years in front of the NHL. The NFL always sends out a press release on tues when there is a blown call no matter who made it.

The NHL ref's must have a powerful union because they are never held accountable for bad calls.

Personally I think fans would rather hear that they blew a call instead of sweeping it under the carpet. Man up and admit it ! The fans will be pissed at a bad call but at least they hear from the league that there was a blown call.

Sounds simple to me, we all make mistakes just admit them.

 

[pixburgher66]

I'm intrigued how they'll approach Babcock's comments. I mean, I don't like that guys can be fined for basically just speaking their mind a bit, but I suppose it's like bashing your boss on facebook when you're friends of facebook...just silly.

 

[SLY]

'Cause Colin got all of his "calls" correct. Stfu.

 

[dash]

Kerry Fraser on TSN said last night that the referee (who was in great position to make the offsides call) can indeed make that call if he receives no signal from the linesman. Obviously, the linesman made the call and the ref went with it.

 

[SLY]

Ok, yes it was a shitty non-call, but still that is not the reason the Penguins lost. Even Bylsma said it. No need for a scapegoat, Shittsburgh shit the bed last night.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Sericolo?

Meet Mr. Bus!

Get under him.

Colie is a spineless maggot. Perfect henchman for Bettman.

 

[Jimmy_the_Tongue]

I haven't heard anyone in Pittsburgh blaming the loss on that call....they deserved to lose that game and we know it.....the NHL is bringing it up for some reason....and if you read the comments under that article , people are saying the Pens should stop whining about it...that's bullshit...was a bad call...no one can argue that...if the Pens are as good as they think think they are...it still shouldn't have affected the game...should be a non-issue by now anyway....game 2 is right around the corner.....go pens...

 

[Dacks]

League needs to step up and admit that their refs made a mistake once a while. This is a step in the right direction. We know they're human, they make mistakes, it's infuriating for the league to pretend differently.

There is one difference between the two "blown calls": Icing can be negated in certain cirucmstances. "Receivable pass", defenceman skating back too slowly, defencemen pinching up on somebody, etc... it's still a judgement call. (That said, I don't know why it was negated in yesterday's game.) Off-side, well, either you are or you aren't.