Why didn't they stop play?

That is what people in the Lightning locker room wanted to know on Monday. Why didn't the officials during Saturday's Lightning-Senators game, stop play with 58 seconds left when Marty St. Louis was cut by the skate of a linesman.

Tampa Bay GM Brian Lawton wondered, too, and he spoke to referees Wes McCauley and Brad Meier after the game, and coach Rick Tocchet said, "It would be nice for someone to come out and say, 'Hey, listen, we made a mistake on this.' ''

But did the refs get it wrong?

It was a critical point in the game. Tampa Bay was down 1-0 with a faceoff in the Ottawa end. St. Louis leaned in to try to get the puck after a faceoff but was cut when linesman Derek Amell kicked up his heels and stumbled a bit trying to get out of the way after a faceoff.. As St. Louis, bloodied, skated to the bench, the Senators scored into an empty net.

Mike Murphy, director of the league's hockey operations, said the officials handled the situation "in a very professional fashion."

Murphy cited Rule 8, which states a game cannot be stopped until an injured player's team secures possession of the puck. And it is true, the Senators gained control. But the rule also states a game can be stopped if it is "obvious a player has sustained a serious injury.

Said Murphy: I'll bet nobody knew Marty was even cut despite the fact he was bleeding profusely because everybody's back was to him and they were all watching the puck and the situation. ... They probably saw him out of the corner of their eye as he's heading to the bench. 'Boy, he's cut, what happened there?' "

I'll give you this. I was at the game and didn't realize St. Louis was cut until he was at the bench and threw off his helmet. That's why this by Murphy makes some sense: "If a player lays on the ice, they'll kill a play. The moment a player gets up and heads off himself, it's game on."

The whole situation was too bad for Tampa Bay, but I don't believe the refs blew it as much as were not as aware, perhaps as much as they should have been, but I don't know, about what was going on.

As for St. Louis, he said the injury didn't hurt and wasn't quite sure how badly he was cut. What he did know what, "I felt like my whole forehead was split open."

He wore a visor in practice but it is unclear whether he will wear one in Thursday's game, calling it a "personal decision," he didn't want to talk about. He also said the linesman who cut him called him and apologized. He only needed eight stitches to close the gash that went from his forehead across the bridge of his nose because half was closed by Dermabond glue.

As for where he was cut, basically right between the eyes, trainer Tommy Mulligan said, "He was really lucky. ... A half inch to the right, a half inch to the left, and we're dealing with a much more serious problem." 

Comments

[leo]

Yeah, seems We disrespect the S-E so much, We don't show up against'em.
Doing fine against the top seeds though.
But not if this keeps up.
P.

[Steve R]

leo, I know you're the team of destiny and what not, but you're not doing so hot against the SE. 3-5 by my math. Any thoughts?

[leo]

Hey, hey!
I was the one doing the poking!
You can't turn around and poke Leo. That doesn't work.
Against the rules.
Ugh...
2.5mil, We coulda had him last December...
No one is pressuring Our point shot cuz...We don't have one.
Markov can only play left or else it turns the WHOLE thing upside down and truly, THAT'S what started Our woes so quickly.
Gorges can't aim.
Brisebois can aim, has an excellent and precise shot but...he's Patrice Brisebois. If HE'S on the first pp wave, We lose face.
That being said, Our 5-5 is a "little" better than last year and Our PK, "much" better.
Except for last night of course.
Caners had ELEVEN PPs. We had 2, penalty-shot INCLUDED.
And yet, blaming the refs is the FURTHEST thing from Our minds.
Right now? We suck. And the feeding frenzy will only get worse.
Only one thing can save Us: The Artiste.
Oh, then We're doomed, you say?
Never underestimate The Artiste.
P.

[PD]

Pretty much exactly M13th

[Mike13]

Don't you mean, damn Streit?

[MANAVIS]

Mike Murphy, director of the league's hockey operations, said the officials handled the situation "in a very professional fashion."

Murphy cited Rule 8, which states a game cannot be stopped until an injured player's team secures possession of the puck. "obvious a player has sustained a serious injury.

Sure this is just another excuse by the officials to say how good they are and how hard their job is. That's why no one trust or likes the officials in the NHL. They don't get too many right in my book and when they do everyone looks around like...I wasn't expecting that one. The officiating in the NHL is putrid. Go ahead Bettman and loose more fans because only a hand full of losers believes the game has any integrity left in it what-so-ever.

[PD]

Damb straight Stvr

[Steve R]

PD, ironic isn't it? Name starts with a S doesn't it...?

[PD]

SteveR the question can also be asked , why are the Hockey Gods shining on the Islanders PP which has gone from terrible last year to middle of the pack?

any common denominator with the Shabs?

[Danger]

I seem to remember Richard Zednik skating off under his own power too, and that turned out to be "serious", did it not? Would we have gained posession and tied it up if Marty didn't get cut, probably not. But if the linesman who kicked Marty in the face, didn't realize it might be "serious" than something is wrong.

[ajax]

You got to know D/weed is the same stinky fish just another PC. Simple arithmetic my Dear Watson.

[Steve R]

leo,

What did the Habs do to piss off the Hockey-gods? That has to be it, unless you have a better answer for why your power play is so putrid.

[leo]

I figured it out.
It's gotta be.
Know why you haven't won your last few games?
Cuz Vinny speared the CH. Hockey-gods are NOT amused and are returning the favor.
Only explanation. Gotta be.
See what happens???
P.

[keith]

I thought we "weeded" out all the dicks!

[Amanda]

Nan-
Have you read "Dick's" other comments? (Nice name by the way. Are we in 1985?)Don't take the bait. He's one of THOSE.

[Nan]

Hey Dick, not a single blogger here or Damian placed the blame for the loss on the officials. That game was clearly a bad sloppy effort from both teams and nobody to blame but the players themselves.

[D]

I'm glad Marty is ok. Skate cuts are scary. As for the blowing the whistle, whatever. I'm sure the refs didn't maliciously hold back. Instead of complaining about that, though, Lawton and the gang upstairs ought to be publicly ripping this team for that unforgiveable slop on ice Saturday. That was hideous and it's time everyone from Vincent Levcavalier right down the line got called out publicly for what has become a consistently lackluster effort night in and night out. This team needs to be held accountable for its performance.

[Nan]

I am not surprised that the officials didn't stop play at all! They have shown us that they either don't care or are blind in not just this game but previous ones. The on ice officiating every year just seems to get worse and worse and the boys in Toronto just back up their officials.They have turned this game into a joke.

[HockeyBay.com]

lets not make excuses... Bolts prolly wouldn't have scored regardless if Marty had a timeout to get off the ice with medics etc. Lets Face it, Gary Bettman New rules/regs and Refs have ruined the sport anyways...

[Brittany]

I'm wondering how the guy who kicked him didn't know he hit him. Pretty sure that he knew he hit something with his skate, or maybe he was just a dope (could be the case after the way that game was called). And obviously it isn't as easy to see if a player is cut from the press box, but the guys on the ice? You mean, all of the other players noticed he was bleeding, but the officials didn't? That's a pretty lame excuse. Obviously it doesn't mean we should have won the game, but play should have been stopped. I'm with Tocchet on this one, they just need to come out and say they made a mistake. To try and cover their butts now is just dumb.

[Chris]

Murphy, nobody knew he was cut? How about the linesman who slashed Marty's face? Seems like a pathetic excuse to me