The Blues were defeated by the Ottawa Senators last night 4-2 after scoring two goals that the officials blew calls on.
Ottawa took the lead 3-2 in the 3rd on a shorthanded goal from Antoine Vermette. The goal came moments after the Blues were informed that the goal they had just scored wouldn't count.
Brad Boyes one-timed a puck that appeared to be saved, unbelievably by goalie Martin Gerber. Without reviewing, the officials quickly dropped the puck and resumed play. Video replays clearly showed the puck well over the goal line (I noticed it on my TV screen before action resumed, yet the man being payed, generously I'm sure, did not). While the Blues had possession of the puck in Ottawa's end, the buzzer rang to stop play so that the officials could tell the Blues that they had blown the call (why even stop, if the call is irreversible?). According to Rule 78.6, once a game has restarted following a stoppage of play, a replay can't award or disallow a goal.
Blues' coach Andy Murray was most upset that his team was stripped of possession of the puck in the offensive zone to be told that the officials had made a mistake, and that the officials, who usually take their time with these matters, were so quick to dismiss the idea that it was a goal.
Oh, that's not all. With 2:18 left in a 3-2 game, David Backes slipped a puck under Ottawa's Martin Gerber and into the net. But the refs once again blew it, literally, by blowing the whistle to early. Gerber never had possession.Barret Jackman and Brad Boyes scored the only goals that counted for the Blues.
Despite the officiating, the Blues' power play continued to struggle, allowing 2 short-handed goals. Yet, 5 on 5 the Blues out-worked, out-hustled, and overall out-played the Senators.
Players of the Game: The Officials, missed 2 goals scored by the Blues, blew power play opportunities as well for the Blues, continued to show how useless referees are. If it was shot by Detroit, they would have just assumed the puck went into the net.
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