The National Collegiate Hockey Conference released a rare statement regarding officiating on Sunday. In it, the conference determined that "a minor penalty or penalties" should have been called on a play involving Gophers forward Blake McLaughlin and St. Cloud State's Nick Perbix during the sequence immediately leading up to Minnesota's game-winning overtime goal at St. Cloud State on Saturday night.
"Although it is not and will not become conference protocol to provide public comment on judgment calls made by game officials, this statement is being issued due to the significant impact on the game's outcome, along with the dangerous aftermath," conference commissioner Josh Fenton said in the statement.
Just 24 seconds into the three-on-three overtime, McLaughlin stopped skating after he put a stick on Perbix's body while skating near the St. Cloud net and Perbix dropped to the ice, seemingly anticipating a penalty to be called.
None was, so McLaughlin resumed skating and found Sammy Walker for the game-winner 12 seconds later. The Gophers won 4-3 to earn a split of the home-and-home series.
Many of the fans in a sellout crowd of 5,530 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center booed and some threw debris on the ice.
Sunday's statement also addressed the poor fan behavior, and said "disciplinary action" for on-ice officials working the game "will be handled internally by the conference office."
The no-call "ruined a great hockey game," Huskies coach Brett Larson told the St. Cloud Times.
St. Cloud State is a member of the NCHC.
