Playoff hockey is a game of inches, but the margin felt even smaller for the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.
The reigning Western Conference champions dropped to a 3-1 series deficit in their first-round matchup against the Anaheim Ducks after a puck inched past goaltender Tristan Jarry in overtime.
The goal sparked controversy, as the on-ice officials initially hesitated to call it a goal. But after doing so, the marker was automatically reviewed by the NHL, and conclusive evidence would have had to emerge to overturn the call.
As a result, it was fair to wonder if more decisive goal-line technology could be implemented to provide clarity on decisions such as those, akin to the new ABS (Automatic Ball-Strike) system in MLB. However, according to deputy commissioner Bill Daly, those technologies can be challenging to implement.
“A number of things that make it more difficult to develop a technology that can be relied upon are all the activity that is going on around the net at the time, and the fact that bodies, gloves and sticks — and on occasion pucks — are in the way. Posts are in the way,” Daly said during an appearance on The Fan Pre-Game on Sportsnet.
“It is difficult to have a definitive technology that sees through all that traffic, even in the form of something embedded in the puck. We haven’t found a fail-proof technology yet.”
Daly did add that the league is working on reliable technology and that innovative ideas have come their way, but that they’re not comfortable with their “100 per cent accuracy.”
And while the league is hoping to find a sure-fire solution in the coming years, Daly doesn’t believe it’s a front-of-mind issue for the time being, despite the controversial goal on Sunday.
“I don’t think it’s a burning issue of concern among our clubs. We use what we have — we use the technology we have that we trust — and we make the best call to make,” he said. “I think you’ll always have situations in sports, and that’s what makes them special, where mistakes are made. And that’s just the nature of the beast. We understand that, more importantly, I think our clubs understand that, and more importantly, usually our fans understand that.”
In the case of the Oilers, while the technology available wasn’t able to change the call on the ice, according to Daly, the league is comfortable with the decision that was made, as it aligns with the on-ice officials.
“We didn’t have that definitive video evidence. The video evidence we did have tended to support the call that was made on the ice. So it became an easy decision at that point in time,” he said.