OT: USA Women's Hockey wins 5th Straight World Championship Amid Massive Controversy
https://www.tsn.ca/usa-survives-finland-in-shootout-to-win-gold-after-controversial-ot-1.1290626
The USA women's hockey team have won their 5th straight World Championship. This one was crazy though. For the first time in the entire 19 years the tournament was held, it wasn't USA vs Canada for the title. Canada was upset by host team Finland in the semis. Finland and the US went to OT in this one. In OT, Finland seemingly won the game. It was called a goal on the ice and Finland erupted off the bench into full celebration of their first ever gold (or silver) medal at the Worlds. After an over 8 minute review, the goal was called back for incidental contact with the goalie (at least that's what we have to believe since it was never fully explained). However, someone the US goalie was assessed a tripping penalty on the play. This was definitely a first for me and I've watched hockey for 30 years. In my opinion, it was actually the proper call as the US goalie was contacted and pushed further out of her crease for an easy goal. The US team killed off that penalty and another as OT expired. The US went on to win the 5-woman shootout 2-1 and take gold in probably the most controversial final ever for women's hockey.
I know we tend to believe that bad things only happen to Michigan teams, but this was truly an insane one. What is even crazier is that afterwards the analysts were able to cite 2 different rules about the exact type of play that occurred. 1 rule would have kept it a goal. 1 would have overturned it. I know women's hockey doesn't move the needle much but this one was a great watch. The link above should have video highlights. Well worth the view. Oh and Schofield's wife Kendall Coyne Schofield captained the team. Sorry for the essay.
April 14th, 2019 at 11:51 PM ^
I was watching this game at an Applebees with no sound on the television. Was that tripping penalty called on the U.S. goalie? I assumed someone had tripped the Finnish player into the goalie, which prevented her from getting back and making the save. It seemed like the right call to me, since if the trip hadn't occurred there wouldn't have been any goaltender interference and likely no goal. Definitely one of the craziest endings I've ever seen in a hockey game.
April 15th, 2019 at 12:23 AM ^
Your scenario would have made more sense. They definitely called it on the goalie. I cannot recall ever seeing that type of play end up with a penalty on the goalie. The announcers were killing me during the review. They kept saying how if it was overturned that the US would have a power play because the ref's arm was up. Well since the first team to touch the puck was Finland, that would be impossible. The goal would have been called off immediately because of the delayed penalty on them. I was ok with there being a penalty called there too, just not on the goalie. I know it still ends up being a 2:00 penalty regardless, but it was still a poor choice to assess the penalty on the goalie.
Oh and someone was so bitter that they updated the Wikipedia page for the Women's World Championship list with Finland (real winner). Sick burn.
April 15th, 2019 at 12:25 AM ^
Yawn
Go take a nap
April 15th, 2019 at 12:33 AM ^
it happened in a big moment, but the Finland’s player clearly skates right into the goalie, which directly leads to the goal. Not sure how one could argue the final ruling.
I truly don’t understand how USA got a penalty in that play ? To me that’s no goal and penalty on Finald.
Incidental contract outside the crease is a penalty on the goalie. The only problem is that it wasn't incidental and most of her body was still in the crease even though she was trying to get the lose puck. She got steam rolled when the majority of her person was in the crease.
I think the ref called the penalty and the goal immediately after and the video judge instituted the review. The goal was overturned because obviously, and penalties can't be called back? The penalty on the goalie for tripping was ridiculous.
April 15th, 2019 at 11:40 AM ^
The majority of her body was actually outside the crease when contact was made. Basically only half her left leg was still inside of it. This is what made it such a controversial call. They showed 2 different rules post game that each definitively sided with each team on that specific play. Definitely a flaw there. I still think waving off the goal was the correct call and like you said, penalties cannot be called back (although in this case it technically wasn't called yet so it should be able to be called back in theory).
April 15th, 2019 at 12:34 AM ^
Man a shootout to decide the finals is the worst. Happens in the olympics and in the world juniors.
April 15th, 2019 at 12:45 AM ^
The one Finland shootout attempt made me feel like they probably shouldn’t win. What the hell was that? It’s not an all star competition, there’s no fans voting in.
April 15th, 2019 at 12:55 AM ^
Yeah that was absurd. You're not beating a goalie at the top of their profession with that garbage attempt. I don't know the exact rules on it, but typically you have to keep forward momentum on a shootout attempt. It could be argued that the Finnish shooter came to a complete stop on it, and it would have been discounted anyway. The refs would have needed escorts out of town if that happened.
Sounds like a typical Red Wings playoff in the old days. They would always get goals waived off on bizarre calls like that with seemingly random rule interpretations while other teams could literally run over the Wings goalie with no repercussions.
Absolutely crazy finish. I too have never seen anything like it.
The USA women are basically a dynasty right now - so fun to watch. If only they'd allow the NHLers to play and the men could go win a gold some day.
Do you mean in the WC’s because they can play. Playoffs here are going on at the same time but players eliminated are on and joining the team through the tournament. US men have done really well the last few years.
Appreciate the summary, thank you.
April 15th, 2019 at 10:13 AM ^
That goal should have counted, and Finland should have the World's title! They was robbed...
The goalie dived outside the crease to play the puck, and was out in front - not behind the net. Behind the net, goalie interference, no goal. She dived for the puck directly in front of the Finnish forward, who may have actually been pushed into her from behind, as well. They called tripping on the goalie, which is asinine in itself - you'd never see a goalie in men's hockey get that tripping call! I never have, not like that when he was looking at the puck, trying to get the puck, and paying no attention to anything but the puck. There was no apparent attempt to trip anything...
If you're not calling goalie interference, and they didn't, then the whistle doesn't stop play until the offending team touches the puck. The offending team was USA, so the goal should have counted - by evidence of hundreds of goals across hockey before a whistle stopped play (probably thousands).
Unless there is goalie interference, a penalty on Finland, or the puck is trapped somewhere, the puck is live until USA touches it or it goes into the net.
Finland got fucked.
April 15th, 2019 at 11:44 AM ^
Your argument is mostly solid except for the goalie interference part. You absolutely can have goalie interference in front of the net. That's the most common place it occurs. Ask Tomas Holmstrom. And even if it's not goalie interference, it definitely obstructed the goalie from being able to make a play on the rebound. She didn't exactly dive at the puck out of the crease. She made a save and the momentum carried her mostly out of the crease and she was attempting to cover the puck, something goalies do quite often. So while you are correct that there was no goalie interference, the incidental contact should wave off that goal.
April 15th, 2019 at 10:55 AM ^
Try to have a good day. It's going to be ok. Your emotions count.
April 15th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
Wow sounds crazy thanks for sharing OP.
April 15th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
Yeah, that was a weird one. USA! USA! USA!
April 15th, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
I know we'll be the bad guys because we took the title from underdog Finland, but that looks like the right call to me. The Finnish player clearly skates into the US goalie and takes her further out of the crease which is basically what left the net wide open for the putback
April 15th, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^
Speaking only of the disallowed goal... I felt horrible for Finland that the goal was disallowed, after thinking you win the Gold but I think the right call was made, the range of emotions is insane in that situation and having to gather yourself and continue to play... it's not easy at all.
I get the incidental contact made as the Finnish player went for the rebound but you still need to allow the goalie to play the puck and she simply wasn't. The American goalie was still partially in the crease and the contact carried her completely out. It's a close, close call but with the American goalie playing the rebound and not just wandering out of the crease to play the puck or position herself better, I think its the right call.
I think all of your takes are spot on. I cannot imagine the roller coaster of emotions when you just celebrated your first ever gold medal in the sport for 8+ minutes only to have it overturned. Being the massive underdog in that scenario cannot help either. You've slayed the dragon. Psyche. You didn't. Go do it again now.
Poor damn Suomi
Poor Russia. They make the semis and then have to play the US followed by Canada and leave without a medal. I still think they would have lost to Finland in the bronze medal game had Canada not gotten upset, but they'd have had a much better shot than against a pissed off Canada.