I alluded to Minnesota State benefiting from some questionable officiating against Michigan Tech this weekend in my weekend recap, and the good folks at Bethany Lutheran College have done an outstanding job again of getting video up on the web for all to see.

Here is the video, which is fairly self-explanatory. Michigan Tech fires a shot, the puck hits Austin Lee in the glove, and then travels over the goal line for what looks like a clear goal. The problem, which the video doesn't show, is that the official, anticipating a save, blew his whistle before the puck actually crossed the line.

This isn't another "intent to blow the whistle" situation which has become the issue du jour in the NHL recently--which means it will probably be erased from the rulebook, stupidly. If it had been, the goal probably would have stood, since it's very obvious that play should not have been stopped. But since the whistle actually blew, the officials tied their own hands.

It didn't seem like a big deal at the time, with Minnesota State leading 3-0 with 11 minutes left to play, but Tech scored an extra-attacker goal with 13 seconds left to make it a 3-2 game. An extra goal might have been helpful in that situation.

The officiating crew for that game was Brad Albers and Tom Sterns. Since neither are part of the untouchables of the WCHA Old Guard of Officiating like Don Adam, Marco Hunt, Derek Sheperd, etc., I'd imagine they'll be next in line to get a weekend off fairly soon.