It's All Your Fault!!!

There were some mysterious goings-on with the game clock in the Washington Capitals' 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins last night.  With 9.5 seconds left and a faceoff in the Capitals' end, the clock didn't start at the drop of the puck.  More than five seconds passed before the clock restarted, and had the Bruins been able to score in those extra seconds, Caps fans would have been angry to say the least.

But the brain trust that is the NHL has an explanation...

"With 9.5 seconds remaining in the third period, there was a stoppage and resulting face-off in the Washington zone. During the stoppage, the game clock operator and Series Manager determined that 0.9 seconds should have been added to the time remaining in the third period and attempted to contact the on-ice officials to delay the puck drop to accommodate making the necessary clock adjustment to 10.4 seconds remaining.

"The off-ice officials were not able to attract the attention of the referees or linesmen despite sounding the horn, which was not audible due to crowd noise, and the puck was dropped.

"The NHL Situation Room in Toronto immediately was aware that the clock had not started for 5.3 seconds after the face-off and, therefore, would have disallowed a goal scored with 5.3 seconds or less showing on the clock (emphasis added)."

We almost wish the Bruins had scored to see and hear the reaction on both sides when the goal was disallowed.

But ask yourselves...would the league have really called from Toronto and instructed the in-arena officials to take a goal off the board?  I'm kind of glad we will never know.

In the end, though, IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT Caps fans for being just dad gum loud.

Knock it off, will ya?  They're trying to play a hockey game down there.