Scandal at the 2019 Women's World Championship
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:49 pm
Refereeing scandal in the final of Women's World Championship in hockey.
For the first time ever Canada missed the final, after losing 4-2 to Finland in the semifinal.
In the final the US had more of the play, but Finland defended themselves ferociously, and their goaltender, Noora Räty (who also made 43 saves against Canada), was phenomenal. The game ended 1-1 in regulation, and then some 9 minutes into ot Petra Nieminen scored on a rebound, the referee signaled for goal and the Finns started celebrating.
Ten minutes later the goal was disallowed for goalie interference and the game resumed. But the whole call was very fishy.
Jenny Hiirikoski had skated around a US defender and fired a shot at US goalie Alex Rigsby who deflected the puck to the side. Both Hiirikoski and Rigsby scrambled for the puck and Hiirikoski tripped over Rigsby, the puck remained loose and was shot into the empty net by Nieminen.
Now, the on ice official, standing slightly to the side behind the goal, on the very side where Hiirikoski and Rigsby were, first signaled for a delayed penalty, then goal. Then the ref had a ten minute phone conversation with the video ref. After this they disqualified the goal but gave Rigsby two minutes for tripping.
The whole thing does not make sense at all. If it was goalie interference, Hiirikoski should serve time.
If the refs thought that Rigsby tripped Hiirikoski, the goal should stand.
In my ever so humble opinion, if the ref had considered it goalie interference, there should have been a whistle on the game immediately, so the delayed penalty signal makes sense, and confirms the ref thought Rigsby was the one to blame for the collission, which was definitely outside of the blue area.
To call off the goal while giving Rigsby two minutes just does not make any sense at all. It basically says the on line officials thought Finland won, but were forced to disqualify the goal, yet in defiance of the video ref, they still went ahead with the tripping call (which would otherwise have been voided by the goal) and refused to punish Hiirikoski.
I agree with Hayley Wickenheiser's tweet: "That. Was. A. Goal."
Eventually the US won the penalty shootout.
For the first time ever Canada missed the final, after losing 4-2 to Finland in the semifinal.
In the final the US had more of the play, but Finland defended themselves ferociously, and their goaltender, Noora Räty (who also made 43 saves against Canada), was phenomenal. The game ended 1-1 in regulation, and then some 9 minutes into ot Petra Nieminen scored on a rebound, the referee signaled for goal and the Finns started celebrating.
Ten minutes later the goal was disallowed for goalie interference and the game resumed. But the whole call was very fishy.
Jenny Hiirikoski had skated around a US defender and fired a shot at US goalie Alex Rigsby who deflected the puck to the side. Both Hiirikoski and Rigsby scrambled for the puck and Hiirikoski tripped over Rigsby, the puck remained loose and was shot into the empty net by Nieminen.
Now, the on ice official, standing slightly to the side behind the goal, on the very side where Hiirikoski and Rigsby were, first signaled for a delayed penalty, then goal. Then the ref had a ten minute phone conversation with the video ref. After this they disqualified the goal but gave Rigsby two minutes for tripping.
The whole thing does not make sense at all. If it was goalie interference, Hiirikoski should serve time.
If the refs thought that Rigsby tripped Hiirikoski, the goal should stand.
In my ever so humble opinion, if the ref had considered it goalie interference, there should have been a whistle on the game immediately, so the delayed penalty signal makes sense, and confirms the ref thought Rigsby was the one to blame for the collission, which was definitely outside of the blue area.
To call off the goal while giving Rigsby two minutes just does not make any sense at all. It basically says the on line officials thought Finland won, but were forced to disqualify the goal, yet in defiance of the video ref, they still went ahead with the tripping call (which would otherwise have been voided by the goal) and refused to punish Hiirikoski.
I agree with Hayley Wickenheiser's tweet: "That. Was. A. Goal."
Eventually the US won the penalty shootout.