Even though you are in the Canucks home arena, and this
will definitely not be a popular call, you do not have any choice. You
must call back the goal and declare that the game ended prior the goal
being scored.
A hockey game is scheduled for a specific length of time. Whether
it is 13 minute periods or 20 minute periods, at the end of the time the
game is over - not five seconds later. The fact that the clock didn't
start for five seconds after the face-off meant that the tying goal was
scored after the game had technically ended. Even if the clock showed 0.8
seconds, it was 5 seconds behind. Therefore, the goal was scored following
the expiration of the game.
It might be easier to simply state that you could not be certain how
long the clock was delayed, but in this case there was no question. It was
definitely a longer period than one second. Had the goal been scored with
six seconds remaining, it wouldn't have affected the outcome. Even if it
had been scored with four seconds remaining, you would likely have counted
the goal because it was so close.
The right call is to disallow the goal.
As an afterthought, is there anything that could have
been done differently by the back linesman?
On the one hand, the back linesman could have blown the whistle when he
noticed that the clock didn't start. The only problem with this is that
the play was around the Leaf's net and as a linesman you would not want to
take away a potential scoring opportunity at such a crucial point in the
game.
On the other hand, the back linesman could have blown the play dead
with five seconds remaining in the game as this would have been when the
buzzer would have sounded if the clock had started on time. This would
have also created quite a reaction from the Canucks since it would have
certainly ended any chance they had to score the tying goal. The linesman
would have put the referee in a difficult position at having to call the
game and backing his linesman or having another face-off.
During the course of a game, if the clock does not start, the linesman
watching the clock will usually count in his head the amount of time that
the clock did not start. Then at the next stoppage he would report this to
the referee who would then adjust the clock. However, in order to prevent
running into a situation such as the one we have just described, when
there is so little time left in the game, it is probably wise to blow down
the play as soon as the clock is delayed by a couple of seconds and before
any team has a scoring chance. It is much better than having to call back
a goal.
