Kerry Fraser gives his Opinion on Malholtra’s disallowed goal

Is a puck that is propelled in the direction of the net, providing the puck with additional force rather than relying on the force of the puck prior to contact with the skate."

I looked at all examples demonstrated on my copy of the six minute League issued DVD on rule 49.2 - Kicking the puck. The very first example of a legal direction deemed to be a good goal was put into the net with a turned skate by Daniel Alfredsson almost identical to the one that was disallowed on Manny Malhotra. Manny does make an ever so slight movement forward with his skate as he turns it to direct the puck but not one that I would categorize as anything that would resemble a distinct kicking motion.

If I was reviewing Manny Malhotra's goal (Watch The Video Here) I would have deemed it a legal direction and allowed the goal to stand in agreement with the call made on the ice by referee, Chris Lee. http://tsn.ca/blogs/kerry_fraser/?id=388461

Shacks' Take:  If you read my blog for long you will realize I believe the 'War Room' at NHL headquarters to be the most corrupt group of league leaders in North America (and that's saying a lot considering the NBA's commitment to massaging the rules).  As soon as Malholtra's goal went to the video review I knew it would be disallowed even though there was absolutely no 'kicking motion'.   You may think I wear a tin foil hat and believe in alien cover-ups and that's okay by me, I've seen what I've seen long enough to have formed a very unfavourable opinion about the work done on video reviews by the NHL. 

I'll even go so far as to say I think the NHL still wants video review on kicked goals in order to give them some ability to call off or allow goals and occasionally influence a game at an opportune time.  The league has no credibility with this blogger and goals like this only serve to prove the point.  Here's a credible ex-NHL official saying there's no doubt in his mind that was a goal yet it was called back.  Could it be because it would have made a marquee match-up 3 – 0 and over before the first period was done. 

I'll say this though, I'll stop writing about these crazy conspiracy theories the day I can stop knowing what the call will be on these decisions based on the opponents and the score and start basing it on the actual merit of goal itself.  Here are a few examples just for fun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ttOW935iYQ - oh no Vancouver would be up 5 – 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXymWqgQDSg&feature=related - oh no Philadelphia would be up 5 - 2

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiF8Sgthxic&feature=related -oh no Vancouver would be up 5 – 2