The NHL is investigating an incident in which one of its referees was caught saying he “wants to receive” a penalty against the Predators in their victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night in Nashville, Tennessee.
With 15:04 left in the second period, Predators striker Viktor Arvidsson was called to stop Red Wings defender Jon Merrill in the offensive zone, even though the replays showed that Merrill beautified the fall to attract the call.
The referees who officiated the game were veterans Tim Peel and Kelly Sutherland. Peel appeared to demand Arvidsson’s penalty from the central ice.
With 12:42 left in the second period, the Nashville show captured the sound of an official on the ice saying, “It wasn’t long, but I wanted to get a penalty against Nashville early.”
The NHL told ESPN it was “analyzing” the incident.
Nashville won the game 2-0.
Both teams were whistled for three penalties, while the Predators took a fourth because they put the puck over the glass in the third period.
Asked after the contest what the official was heard saying, Nashville coach John Hynes said: “I think the situation is what it is. I think, from our perspective, it probably doesn’t matter how I feel about it in general; the referees are employees of the league and, rather than my comment, I think it is an issue that the league will have to take care of. “
Hynes said “you always want to have the right things for your players and your team”, but that there is no excuse.
“We need to find a way to kill the punishment and control what we can control,” he said.