The NHL is investigating an incident in which one of its referees was caught saying he wanted a penalty against the Predators in their win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night in Nashville, Tennessee.
With 3:04 to go into the second period, Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson was called up to take out Red Wings defender Jon Merrill in the attack zone, although replays showed Merrill embellished the trap to pull the call.
The referees who led the game were veterans Tim Peel and Kelly Sutherland. Peel appeared to call the penalty on Arvidsson from center ice.
With 12:42 remaining in the second period, the Nashville broadcast recorded audio from an official on-ice that said, “It wasn’t much, but I wanted to get a penalty kick early against Nashville.”
The NHL told ESPN it is “taking a look” at the incident.
Nashville won the game 2-0.
Both teams were whistled for three penalties, while the Predators took a fourth for throwing the puck over the glass in the third period.
Asked after the game about what the official was overheard say, Nashville coach John Hynes said, “I think the situation is as it is. referees are employees of the league, and instead of commenting, I think it’s an issue the league should take care of. ”
Hynes said “you always want to have things that are fair to your players and to your team,” but there are no excuses.
“We have to find a way to kill punishment and control what we can control,” he said.