NHL To Investigate FSN Pittsburgh Incident (UPDATED WITH SUSPENSION ANNOUNCEMENT)

It took awhile, but the story of FSN Pittsburgh not giving the NHL adequate video replay to review a goal is finally picking up a head of steam. So much so that the NHL has decided to step in and investigate the incident itself. From Philly.com

The NHL is investigating Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh for not sending all available camera angles to league headquarters in Toronto for Simon Gagne’s apparent goal that was under review against the Penguins last Thursday, league spokesman Gary Meagher confirmed to the Daily News.

FSN Pittsburgh, who had the game’s only video feed, sent all of the camera angles of the replay except the one that clearly showed the puck over the goal line.

Comcast SportsNet elected to not use their own video feed during the game, one CSN employee said on Monday. CSN would have been able to send their own replays to the NHL's War Room in Toronto if they had used their own feed.

"Hockey Operations did not have a definitive replay that showed the puck in the net - and weren't aware that one existed - until after they made their ruling," said John Dellapina, another NHL spokesman. "Once the puck dropped, their ruling became permanent."

The NHL has given no indication as to length of the investigation or what penalties may come of it.

Said Meagher: "It's a matter between the League, the Penguins and FSN that will be handled internally."

Now the Flyers did comfortably win that game and while it then robbed Gagne of his 500th point, he would pick it up a few days later and on home ice, no less. So while that all worked out well, there is a bigger matter at stake here and that is the integrity of the game. Has FSN Pittsburgh been doing this for quite some time now? Was this an isolated coincidental oversight, or was this a deliberate act by the network to try to rob the opposing team of a goal? And maybe most compelling of all, have other networks deliberately tried and gotten away with the same thing? And before you jump at me for insinuating such a horrid thing, may I remind you of Tim Donaghy? Just because you are supposed to be impartial and do your job, does not mean it always happens and scandals do happen, as was the case with Donaghy.

Possibly very related or completely unrelated, but Paul Steigerwald (yes, the same guy who likes making bad Hobey Baker plane crash jokes) should really be careful what he says when the referee signals no goal.



"We saved that one." - Paul Steigerwald

Hmmmmmmm!

From being an awful announcer period to his Hobey Baker joke, if it turns out he was in on the cover up and that was not just a coincidental statement, then I think it might be time Steigerwald gets the old heave-ho out of the booth.

Update: We have a suspension! Thus far the only suspension is that of Lowell McDonald, Jr., a (most likely former) member of the telecast staff and son of former Pittsburgh Penguin Lowell McDonald. No more have been announced yet.

Both FSN Pittsburgh and the Penguins have released a statement.

FSN Pittsburgh: "There is nothing more important than the integrity of the game. During last Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, a definitive replay of a Flyers goal was not aired prior to the conclusion of the official review and, as a result, a Flyers goal was not awarded. Fortunately, this did not change the outcome of the game. Nonetheless, FSN Pittsburgh's failure to provide video to the league officials in a timely fashion was wholly unacceptable. FSN Pittsburgh has addressed this matter and has taken steps to ensure that such a failure does not occur again."

The Pittsburgh Penguins organization: "We fully support FSN Pittsburgh in its reaction to this issue. The integrity of the game is paramount."

If there are any other announcements on this matter, I will be sure to pass them down to you.