NHL upholds referee’s ruling on Mike Smith’s game-ending own goal

85.3 Puck Out of Sight - Should a scramble take place or a player accidentally fall on the puck and the puck be out of sight of the Referee, he shall immediately blow his whistle and stop the play. The puck shall then be faced-off at the nearest face-off spot in the zone where the play was stopped unless otherwise provided for in the rules.

However, here’s the NHL’s official ruling:

At 3:47 of overtime in the Coyotes/Sabres game, video review supported the referee’s call on the ice that Mark Pysyk’s shot deflected into the air and landed in goaltender Mike Smith’s equipment and, while attempting to make the save, Smith’s momentum propelled him and the puck completely across the goal line. Good goal Buffalo.

So it appears the NHL’s review only debated the play on the grounds of whether the puck crossed the line or not, not whether the play should have even occurred at all. Which makes sense. Since the referees didn’t blow their whistles when they lost sight of the puck, the play continued on and therefore only the goal call on the ice was reviewable.

Smith made his opinions about the call and his team’s play clear after the game.

Indeed.

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