The setup
The Blue Jackets were frustrated after a 2-1 loss in Minnesota on Saturday. How they respond tonight will say a lot about the character in the dressing room. The Ducks have caught fire after a slow start, with big wins in Ottawa (4-3) and Montreal (6-4) over the weekend. The Jackets desperately need the top line to start producing. R.J. Umberger has lost the top center spot, at least temporarily.
? Player to watch: With Pascal Leclaire injured, Fredrik Norrena gets the start. It's a critical game for Norrena, who has struggled with his confidence in recent months.
? Injury report: RW Jared Boll (head/neck) is probable. G Pascal Leclaire (ankle), RW Raffi Torres (separated shoulder) and Fredrik Modin (groin) are out.
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Jackets puzzled by goal that was nixed
Twenty-four hours later, the NHL stood by its call and the Blue Jackets remained furious.
With a game tonight against the Anaheim Ducks in Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets could either be motivated or demoralized by the feeling that the whole world -- including the powers-that-be in their own league -- is against them.
"Nobody's going to give us anything, we know that," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "That's the attitude we have to have now. We have to go out and earn our points."
On Saturday, the Blue Jackets appeared to have tied the Minnesota Wild with only 11.5 seconds remaining when Rick Nash redirected Christian Backman's wrist shot into the net.
It was 2-2 and overtime loomed. Or did it?
NHL referee Steve Kozari signaled that the goal was good, then conferred with three other officials -- referee Dan Marouelli and linesmen Mark Wheler and Vaughan Rody -- before the play was sent to be reviewed by video officials in Toronto. At issue was whether Nash's stick was above the height of the crossbar, thus making the goal illegal.
"Three of the four (officials) had it as no goal on the ice," NHL senior executive vice president Colin Campbell told The Dispatch. "They had it as a high stick.
"We looked at it, four or five or six different ways, and we agreed that, boy oh boy, this would be a hard one to say 'It's a goal,' to overturn it."
Citing a lack of "conclusive evidence," Toronto sent the call back to the on-ice officials, deciding to stand by the on-ice call.
Problem is, most in Xcel Energy Center, including Wild coach Jacques Lemaire, the Wild announcers and most of the Wild fans, believed the goal would be allowed.
Kozari added confusion into the mix when he flipped on his microphone and explained the ruling to the crowd, which was both shocked and delighted.
"There was inconclusive evidence, and the ruling has been reversed," Kozari said. "No goal."
Campbell added to the confusion when he e-mailed the Star-Tribune newspaper the following after the game: "They had a good goal on the ice, (but) we did not have a view that could prove it was a good goal, and conclusively."
Campbell said Kozari misspoke, that he shouldn't have used the word reversed. He also said the first part of his e-mail, stating "a good goal," was taken out of context.
The Blue Jackets, privately, feel as though a game -- at least one point -- was stolen from them under suspicious circumstances. They have not, however, filed an official complaint with the league offices.
"I have no public comment on the goal," general manager Scott Howson said.
As the final buzzer sounded, Nash got into a scrum in front of the net with two Wild players, while rookie center Derick Brassard snapped his stick over the goal, ripping the blade off with his left hand and throwing it to the ice.
The Blue Jackets did not skate yesterday. They stewed.
"Our opinion is that it was a good goal," Hitchcock said. "We're going to live on that, but we're not going to dwell on it.
"We have a game (tonight) that we need to get ready for, and we'll be ready."
The Blue Jackets were frustrated after a 2-1 loss in Minnesota on Saturday. How they respond tonight will say a lot about the character in the dressing room. The Ducks have caught fire after a slow start, with big wins in Ottawa (4-3) and Montreal (6-4) over the weekend. The Jackets desperately need the top line to start producing. R.J. Umberger has lost the top center spot, at least temporarily.
? Player to watch: With Pascal Leclaire injured, Fredrik Norrena gets the start. It's a critical game for Norrena, who has struggled with his confidence in recent months.
? Injury report: RW Jared Boll (head/neck) is probable. G Pascal Leclaire (ankle), RW Raffi Torres (separated shoulder) and Fredrik Modin (groin) are out.
==================
Jackets puzzled by goal that was nixed
Twenty-four hours later, the NHL stood by its call and the Blue Jackets remained furious.
With a game tonight against the Anaheim Ducks in Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets could either be motivated or demoralized by the feeling that the whole world -- including the powers-that-be in their own league -- is against them.
"Nobody's going to give us anything, we know that," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "That's the attitude we have to have now. We have to go out and earn our points."
On Saturday, the Blue Jackets appeared to have tied the Minnesota Wild with only 11.5 seconds remaining when Rick Nash redirected Christian Backman's wrist shot into the net.
It was 2-2 and overtime loomed. Or did it?
NHL referee Steve Kozari signaled that the goal was good, then conferred with three other officials -- referee Dan Marouelli and linesmen Mark Wheler and Vaughan Rody -- before the play was sent to be reviewed by video officials in Toronto. At issue was whether Nash's stick was above the height of the crossbar, thus making the goal illegal.
"Three of the four (officials) had it as no goal on the ice," NHL senior executive vice president Colin Campbell told The Dispatch. "They had it as a high stick.
"We looked at it, four or five or six different ways, and we agreed that, boy oh boy, this would be a hard one to say 'It's a goal,' to overturn it."
Citing a lack of "conclusive evidence," Toronto sent the call back to the on-ice officials, deciding to stand by the on-ice call.
Problem is, most in Xcel Energy Center, including Wild coach Jacques Lemaire, the Wild announcers and most of the Wild fans, believed the goal would be allowed.
Kozari added confusion into the mix when he flipped on his microphone and explained the ruling to the crowd, which was both shocked and delighted.
"There was inconclusive evidence, and the ruling has been reversed," Kozari said. "No goal."
Campbell added to the confusion when he e-mailed the Star-Tribune newspaper the following after the game: "They had a good goal on the ice, (but) we did not have a view that could prove it was a good goal, and conclusively."
Campbell said Kozari misspoke, that he shouldn't have used the word reversed. He also said the first part of his e-mail, stating "a good goal," was taken out of context.
The Blue Jackets, privately, feel as though a game -- at least one point -- was stolen from them under suspicious circumstances. They have not, however, filed an official complaint with the league offices.
"I have no public comment on the goal," general manager Scott Howson said.
As the final buzzer sounded, Nash got into a scrum in front of the net with two Wild players, while rookie center Derick Brassard snapped his stick over the goal, ripping the blade off with his left hand and throwing it to the ice.
The Blue Jackets did not skate yesterday. They stewed.
"Our opinion is that it was a good goal," Hitchcock said. "We're going to live on that, but we're not going to dwell on it.
"We have a game (tonight) that we need to get ready for, and we'll be ready."
