Intent has absolutely nothing to do with it.  The video review judges are not in the business of trying to divine where a player was looking, if he could have known where the puck was, or whether he meant to kick it in.  All they’re looking at is whether or not there was a ‘distinct kicking motion’ charaterized by a ‘pendulum motion’, whatever that means.  Morrow was stopping in front of the net, the puck was on the ice, and his foot moved forward relative to his body and pushed the puck into the net.  That, boys and girls, is what’s known in the industry as a kick.

Posted by Ryan from Toronto on 05/03/08 at 06:30 AM ET

why is kicking the puck into the net even illegal?

not pretty enough?

its only good if it goes off your skate into the net if you didn’t mean it to?

Posted by !! on 05/03/08 at 08:20 AM ET

!!,

Because then it would be soccer!

Posted by Dave on 05/03/08 at 08:32 AM ET

I don’t know the actual history of the rule, but I’d guess that it’s a safety thing.  If I were a goalie, I’d rather have people jamming their sticks into me trying to knock the puck free than their skates. (I’d rather have neither, but that’s a different story altogether.)

Posted by Ryan from Toronto on 05/03/08 at 08:41 AM ET

Jennifer apparently has a fairly short memory.  If you’re going to play team cheerleader as a journalist that’s fine.  But as a Dallas Stars cheerleader, you might want to think twice when you complain about the NHL’s hand waving and referees blowing a call in playoffs.  Ask Stu Barnes about it.

For what its worth it probably should have counted.  That doesn’t change the fact that Dallas let a two goal lead slip away in the third.  The refs/league have blown plenty of calls already and they’re going to blow plenty more.  It’s unfortunate but that’s the way it is.

Posted by Django on 05/03/08 at 10:05 AM ET

So Jennifer, were league officials idiots when they allowed Brett Hull’s cup winner, too?

Posted by Earl Sleek from Los Angeles, CA on 05/03/08 at 11:16 AM ET

I also believe it’s a safety issue.  Especially significant considering the number of injuries due to skates this season.

I wonder if it would be possible to clarify the rule to make it less necessary to interpret if there is a “distinct kicking motion,” either just rule any goal that goes in off a skate illegal, or allow any goal that goes in off a skate PROVIDED the skate never breaks contact with the ice - if the skate is lifted off the ice, the goal is illegal.  Separation between the ice and skate blade might be easier to see on review than whether or not a player is angling his skate or kicking a puck in.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/03/08 at 12:00 PM ET

wow, it this long for people in media to figure this out about the league.

Posted by FlyersFan on 05/03/08 at 01:28 PM ET

Consider it even now, because the Sharks lost their early lead with a legitimate, non-controversial goal in game three.  Each side has had one goal taken off the board with questionable circumstances now.  That’s just the way it goes sometimes.

Posted by Sj Fan on 05/03/08 at 01:44 PM ET

Well either the link is broken, or the paper decided to pull this BS crapola.  I for one have liked the officiating this playoff year.  It seems that a lot of the little stuff is being let go and even some obvious stuff is not being called.  It seems to be pretty even in my eyes and I say let the boys play hard hockey.

I say to Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Star-Telegram, grow up and get with the program.  You sound like one of those parents in the stand that rush out and yell and scream at your kid.

Posted by Tony from Mid-Michigan on 05/03/08 at 03:42 PM ET

I’m amazed that every body seems focused on the the disallowed goals, and most Dallas fans are very quick to note the missed cross-checking penalty, but no one has said a thing about Morrow running over Nabokov. Dallas was lucky to not only have the goal disallowed, but end up with a goalie interference penalty.

Posted by Tim from Arkansas on 05/03/08 at 04:35 PM ET