More and more, I think the NHL officiating is heading downhill. I'm not sure if it's the increased reliance on hi-tech tools, or the bad use of those tools, or the mixed message being sent to the refs, or a combination of all of the above.

The one glaring mistake made by Eric Furlatt during the game was to assume that the play was dead when Nick Foligno zoomed in on goal, and put one neatly between the pads of Marc-Andér Fleury. The fact that Brooks Orpik swept the puck away was moot. The puck was across the line.

The call was sent to NHL HQ for review (in Toronto, I might add, where there is no love lost for the Senators), and came back "no goal". So I took the same video that the NHL was woking with and used basic tools to check it out. I grabbed the same picture they must have frozen, and brought it into MS Paint (you can't get any more basic than that). I enhanced the goal line by putting a thin hard black line at its edge (above). Then I zoomed in... oh yeah! That puck is across. It's only in by a hair, but it's across.

What is the role of the goal judges anyway if it's not to light the lamp on a goal? That is their only job. You would think they were pretty diligent about it, and the goal judge at the game judged the puck across the line as well.

In a game rife with borderline calls - doubtful penalties, as well as uncalled minors and majors - this one was the worst because the ref is supposed to follow the puck that close in to the goal. There's no better judge of a goal than a Mark I eyeball at the net. Therein lies Furlatt's failure.

There have been way too many calls of late going against the Senators. The Senators are the team with the least power plays in the league. They have had quite a few goals called back. One has to wonder which mighty power the Senators have offended.

GO SENS GO!!