If you watched Saturday's NCAA championship game, you probably were like many of us for the rest of the night -- thinking about the video replay that may have changed the course of the game.

Notre Dame appeared to score to cut Boston College's lead to 3-2 early in the third period. Instead, that goal was waved off after a lengthy review by WCHA supervisor of officials Greg Shepherd (the play was ruled a goal on the ice by WCHA referee Todd Anderson).

Nate Lawson was ruled to have kicked the puck into the net. Shepherd issued a statement through the NCAA Frozen Four media personnel:

"The puck was kicked in the net by the Notre Dame player's right skate. The skate was moving toward the goal line. There were sticks in the crease, and we needed to make sure there wasn't a deflection off the sticks or the defender's skates after it was kicked."

That explanation makes much more sense when you remember that, last offseason, the NCAA ice hockey rules committee clarified the rule on directing pucks into the net with the skate. The committee didn't have the power to change the rule book -- it was an off year in the two-year cycle -- but it did issue a memo in which it defined a distinct kicking motion as the skate moving toward the goal line.

Jim Connelly, my colleague from USCHO.com, caught up with NCAA associate director of playing rules administration Ty Halpin to get the assessment for a story here.
With the offseason interpretation, it seems pretty clear cut to me after checking the TiVo when I got home. Lawson's right skate, which the puck touched last before going into the net, moves toward the net, at least in a general direction.

Shepherd was on the elevator when I was leaving the press box after the game, and I told him that I agreed with the call but he was going to catch flak for it. Turns out that's the case. Shepherd and the WCHA have been inundated with messages about the call.

The only question that lingers in my head was whether the puck was already off Lawson's skate before he makes the kicking motion. After watching the replay a few times with that specifically in mind, I think his skate starts moving while the puck is still in contact. I don't know whether that's even a consideration in reviews like this, but it could have made a difference.
Less than a minute after the no-goal, BC went up 4-1, and the game was essentially over. You can imagine why some would be upset about the decision, but this is one that I think Shepherd got right. There have been occasions this season to be critical of the WCHA officials, but I don't think this is one of those times.

Expect this one to be talked about by the rules committee later this month. Not that it wouldn't have been up for discussion already.

Thoughts? It has been so hard for anyone to come up with a bulletproof definition of a "distinct kicking motion," so should goals count however they come off skates? It would add another level of garbage goals.