Video reviews don't go Sabres' way in loss to Dallas

DALLAS - After the Buffalo Sabres' 4-3 loss in Dallas on Thursday, coach Dan Bylsma was asked about a review that didn't go the Sabres' way.
"Which one?" Bylsma responded.
That's the kind of night it was at American Airlines Center, in which two Buffalo goals were ruled to have not gone in after lengthy, lengthy reviews. The Sabres also lost an offside challenge that kept a Dallas goal on the board.

First, let's take a look at the play at the end of the game

"The puck goes through Bogosian and into the net," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "The view is not super clear, I guess, in terms of definitively saying where the puck ends up. It hits on his pad - or it sits on the side of his pants - and that is, at least on the view, it's on the right side of the crossbar.
"I think the answer is they don't definitively know that it crossed the whole goal line. I think we can all see it passed the crossbar. That's the answer."

Here's the official explanation from the NHL:
At 19:49 of the third period in the Sabres/Stars game, the Situation Room initiated a video review to further examine a play at the Dallas net. Video review confirmed that the puck did not completely cross the Dallas goal line. No goal Buffalo.
"Through our cameras, I thought it looked in, but it's still tough with the black pants, too and with the way it crossed in," alternate captain Ryan O'Reilly said. "And on the last angle, it kind of looked 50-50. It's tough to say, but what can you do? It's out of our control."

Now, let's take a look at an earlier play, where Jack Eichel and the rest of the team was convinced that Sam Reinhart had scored:

"There's no question the puck ends up in the net. That's [irrefutable]. It's in the net. Everyone can see that," Bylsma said. "The question is, it goes into the goalie, he goes on his side and he falls into the net. And none of us - no one - can see the puck until he gets up. And that's after the play. I took philosophy in college and I know it means the puck is in the net, but you can't definitively see the puck in the net and I think that's the call."

Reinhart thought for sure that he had scored his 11th of the season and Jack Eichel was also adamant, signaling immediately that the officials should take a look at the play.
"I don't know if it was tough to see on the video or what, but it was 100 percent over the line. It's a tough one," Reinhart said. "It's a little frustrating, but if the reason is they couldn't determine it or couldn't see it, that's probably pretty fair because the goalie was on top of it."
Here's the official explanation from the NHL:
At 11:06 of the third period of the Sabres/Stars game, video review was inconclusive in determining if Sam Reinhart's shot completely crossed the Dallas goal line. Therefore the referee's call on the ice stands - no goal Buffalo.
"It's frustrating," Bylsma said. "The way the game was played out, the first two periods clearly, we got outshot. They had the four power plays, which they took full advantage of, dictating the pace of the game.
"We find ourselves, with a goal at the end of the second, right in the game. And we throw everything we can at them in the third and you think you get - well, you feel like you know you got goals by the goalie and crossed the goal line, but you come up empty."
Evander Kane had a three-point night for Buffalo with two goals and an assist.
He extended his point streak to three games (2+4) and has scored all 14 of his goals in his last 25 games. He now has the NHL lead with 13 even-strength goals in that span (from Dec. 3 to present).

The goals that counted

Picking up a loose puck in his own end, Kane streaked down the left wing boards and bee-lined to the Stars net. John Klingberg tried to track Kane down and tie him up as Kane approached the crease, but the Sabres forward was still able to get a shot off and buried it for his 13th goal of the season 3:44 into the contest.
A few minutes later, Eichel drew Klingberg into a holding penalty to cut a Stars power-play short and set up a Sabres man advantage that led to them taking a 2-0 edge at the 9:30 mark.
As Buffalo broke out of their own end on, captain Brian Gionta threaded a pass just over the blue line to Kane, who bullied his way down the left-wing boards and in around behind the net. He then sent the puck out in front to Moulson, who put enough on it for it to get past Niemi and over the goal line.
Moulson now has 15 points (9+6) in 15 career games against the Stars.
However, 29 seconds later, Patrick Sharp let a shot go through traffic at the top of the faceoff that beat Nilsson to make it a one-goal game.
Buffalo only mustered one shot on goal after Moulson's goal and trailed 17-5 in shots after the first. In net, Kari Lehtonen replaced Antti Niemi to start the second period for Dallas.
The Stars opened the second period with a man in the box and Dallas immediately responded. Jamie Benn scored 42 seconds into the period to make it 2-1. Buffalo challenged the play because as the Stars entered the zone, Jason Spezza bumped into Tyler Seguin and could have forced him offside.
But it was deemed inconclusive upon review, resulting in a good goal and a loss of a timeout for Buffalo.
"I believe the answer is we can't definitely know again," Bylsma said. "That's three of those."
Here's the official explanation from the NHL:
At 0:42 of the second period in the Sabres/Stars game, Buffalo requested a Coach's Challenge to review whether Dallas was off-side prior to Jamie Benn's goal.
Review was not conclusive in determining whether Dallas was off-side prior to the goal. According to Rule 78.7, "If a review is not conclusive and/or there is any doubt whatsoever as to whether the call on the ice was correct, the On-Ice Official(s) will be instructed to confirm their original call."
That marker opened up a three-goal period for the Stars with Seguin and Sharp scoring to make it 4-2.

"We dug ourselves a hole again and we just weren't able to get out of it," Gionta said. "We were feeding their transition - too many turnovers, not responsible enough with the puck, not supporting each other coming in through the neutral zone. They're a team that feeds off that transition. They jump three, four, five guys into the rush and that's what happened in the second."
The Stars also widened their shot margin, putting up 34 attempts on goal compared to Buffalo's 11. However, one of Buffalo's six shots in the period went in - the last one.
Kane scored from along the boards up near the bench when his shot deflected in to make it 4-3 with 1:05 remaining in the period.
That got Buffalo going in the third period, where they outshot Dallas 16-2 in the final period. However, the two reviews did not go Buffalo's way and they head back home with no points to show for the effort. Anders Nilsson ended up with 33 saves for Buffalo.
"That was really kind of the story of the third period: It looked like we were going to have opportunities to tie that game up and by hook or crook, it doesn't get in the back of the net," Bylsma said.

Up next

The Sabres are off for the weekend for the All-Star Break. They'll return to practice Monday before heading out for Tuesday night's game in Montreal.
Kyle Okposo and the Sabres.com crew, however, will be busy. Okposo will be Buffalo's representative at the All-Star Game so stay tuned all weekend for coverage from Los Angeles.