FSN Pittsburgh has suspended a member of its production crew after an investigation into a video-replay incident during last Thursday's game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers.
On the play in question, the NHL Hockey Operations Department in Toronto was reviewing whether or not Simon Gagne had scored a shorthanded goal in the second period of an eventual 7-4 win by the Flyers. The on-ice officials ruled no-goal on the play, and replays initially aired on FSN Pittsburgh showed inconclusive evidence of a goal, allowing the original call to stand.
However, after the video-replay period concluded, FSN Pittsburgh aired a replay that definitively showed the puck crossing the goal line as Brent Johnson, the Pittsburgh goalie, smothered it.
Tuesday, FSN Pittsburgh, the Penguins' local television rightsholder, concluded its investigation into the matter, suspending the production crew member. According to reports in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the producer suspended was Lowell MacDonald Jr., son of former Pittsburgh Penguins player Lowell MacDonald.
"There is nothing more important than the integrity of the game," FSN Pittsburgh said in a release. "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 also issued a statement about FSN Pittsburgh's decision.
"We fully support FSN Pittsburgh in its reaction to the issue," it said. "The integrity of the game is paramount."
Ich hoffe es gibt ein Finale Canada vs Mannheim oder Minsk vs Mannheim.
