A Conspiracy Theory (Holty’s Blog)

It’s officially the off season.

You may be thinking, wait, the Condors season ended nearly a month ago. And you would be right.

But, when Joel Ward slid a puck through Tim Thomas and into the back of the net a few minutes into overtime of Game Seven, ending the Bruins defense of their 2011 Stanley Cup, the off season began. Sure there is still hockey going on and yes I’ll still watch, but it’s not the same. I’m not invested into any of the remaining teams the way I am invested in the 2011-12 Condors and Bruins. It came quicker than anticipated and with an abruptness that far surpassed the way the Condors season ended.

There was no time to prepare last night. I sat in front of a big projection television at a local establishment and stared blankly at the screen as the Capitals celebrated and then shook the hands of a stunned Bruins squad.

Then I watched the replays upon replays that the NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus, formerly the Outdoor Life Network) kept showing…over…and…over…and…over.

And to be honest, I saw a goal that should have been waived off. Capitals forward (and from Bruin) Mike Knuble takes a shot and then proceeds to enter the crease under his own power, into body of Thomas, and remain there obstructing his view (and movement?) as Ward potted the game-winner.

We’re not talking Brett Hull having an inch of his skate’s toe in the top of the crease against Buffalo on a Stanley Cup winning goal. (I know, it was different rules back then.) We’re talking full on, in the crease, obstructing the goaltender. I get its game seven of the playoffs and overtime. To ask a referee to make a split second judgment call like that isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. You’re never going to get that call in a situation like that.

However, by definition, following the letter of the law, it should be disallowed no?

Rule 69.1 — “Interference on the Goalkeeper…Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease.

“The overriding rationale of this rule is that a goalkeeper should have the ability to move freely within his goal crease without being hindered by the actions of an attacking player. If an attacking player enters the goal crease and, by his actions, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.”

All that doesn’t matter though. Here is the exact reason why the Bruins didn’t get that call. It’s called karma.

I had the good fortune of watching the B’s take on the Anaheim Ducks this year from the Honda Center’s press box in mid-March (thanks to fellow Holy Cross alum Matt Chmura who runs their PR dept. Give him a follow @mchmura). It was a dreary Sunday evening and little did I know that it was that exact game that would come back to eliminate the Bruins from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With the Bruins ahead late (and barely hanging onto the lead mind you) it appeared to everyone in attendance that the Ducks scored a late goal.

The Ducks forward does not touch Bruins G Marty Turco and yet the goal is still waived off; because he impairs Turco’s ability to see the puck while standing in the crease. Iffy or not, whether you agree or not, the Bruins got the benefit of the call.

Again.

Watch Joel Ward’s from last night…

Now watch the waived off Ducks goal from March…

So there you have it. Let us call it Holty’s Conspiracy Theory. If I had known that I saw the Bruins season come to an end with my own two eyes on a rainy March California day I probably would have stopped watching.

That’s why it’s hockey though. There’s no rhyme or reason to it and the calls don’t always go your way, but it’s fun to watch nonetheless and keeps you coming back for more.

What do you think? Tweet (@BroadcastHolt) or email me (rholt@bakersfieldcondors.com)

Until next Thursday #Condorstown…

Ryan Holt is the Manager of Media Relations and Broadcasting with the Condors. He just finished his first season in #Condorstown and as you can tell, grew up in Boston. Follow him on Twitter (@BroadcastHolt) or email him (rholt@bakersfieldcondors.com).