I worked the U18 in Chicago as Team Services ( we are like the equipment managers for all the teams and the refs)> We repair equipment, do laundry, and help with whatever. The ref's lockeroom was next door to ours and because I ref'ed for 17 years, they hung out alot in our room.
The championship, gold medal game comes and the supervisior of officials has all 17 officials on standby...no one knows who's working until 1 hour before gametime. Canada vs USA, best match up possible. Out of the ref's room comes an Americian ref, a Swedish linesperson and a Canadian linesperson. The goal judges were also from that 17 person ref pool. The goal judge in question was Slovakian (who spoke VERY little english). Game starts and I watch the entire game from a restricted area to the right of the 3rd period Canadian goal...I had the same angles as the videos and still shots that you see here. On the play in question, Coyne has the puck 2 on 1 and I look at where the ref is (instinctivly) and see she is at center ice WAY behind the play and in no hurry to skate hard and catch-up. Swedish linesperson is the person that you see in the video. I watch the shot CLEARLY go into the net, the goal light come on and IT'S A GOAL!!!.
Swedish linesperson skates to find the ref (who is now stopped at the blueline) making NO signal and they start talking. Swedish linesperson is doing all the talking and then the Canadian lines comes in. Ref sends the lines to "talk" to each coach while she stays at center ice with still no signal.
Next thing I know ,the ref skates over to me at the player door and motions for me to open it..she says to me..."get the goal judge". I go escort the goal judge to her and respectfully back away so the may speak in private. Remember ,the goal judge speaks very little English and this conversation only lasts 10-15 seconds and then the ref signals ..NO GOAL. The rest of the game everyone here knows about.
The game ends and I escort the goal judge back to the ref's lockeroom. As we were walking back, she stops me and says "I'm Sorry" and then we keep walking. The other refs show up along with the supervisor of officials (a man).
Supervisor goes into the lockeroom with the 3 game refs and the 2 goal judges and come out about 10 minutes later. I'm outside with all the other refs waiting. After about 30 minutes, the game refs come out, the Swedish linesperson comes over to me and gives me her helmet and tells me that "she won't be needing it anymore". All the refs leave together OUT THE BACK DOOR. One of the American refs stops to tell me good-bye and tells me how embaressed she is at having to leave that way. I was the only person not directly involved with the game officiating that was allowed to stay with them and see the outcome ( I think it was a respect thing to me from them).
DVD complete games were available 15 minutes after each game ended to each team in the tourney, but funny, no one had this game...not even on Sunday when we asked the media person for a copy.
I know what I saw, I know what happened afterwards, and I know that this chosen officiating crew for this game, was in way over their head and did not have the experience to work at this high a level.
If anyone has any quetions about this game, please ask them here and I'll give you an answer.
Thanks for reading this!
You mean it isn't like the 3-2-1 beer they sell in MN
