WCHA Admits Ref Blew Call on Wisconsin Goal

BOULDER, Colorado -- The controversy swirling around the last-second no-goal in Friday night's DU-Wisconsin match-up continued Saturday when the WCHA league office issued a press release saying the referee made the incorrect call to disallow Wisconsin's game-tying goal.

"The Wisconsin goal in question occurred as time expired, but according to the video replay system available to the referee, the puck was still in the crease when the clock in the available replay showed 0:00. But the game tape showed that the puck was in the net and back out of the net prior to 0:00," the press release stated, as reported by the website collegehockeynews.com. "The league regrets the error, and acknowledges that the goal should have counted."

As you can see in this replay, the goal light clearly comes on before the green light signaling the end of the game, meaning the goal should have been allowed.

The announcement came just hours before the two teams were set to face off again at Magness arena Saturday, with referee Randy Schmidt - the same ref who blew the call - set to call the game again.

Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky was upset about the league's decision to issue the press release before the game. “I think our league office put that official in a no-win situation, especially having released that press release apologizing for his error and then putting him right back into the spotlight tonight, that’s just not fair,” he said, according to USCHO.com. “I apologize on behalf of our league office for that; I was shocked to see that."

But Wisconsin more than made up for the error the night before, drubbing DU 7-2. For a full recap of Saturday's game, click here.