The NHL Goal Judge has one responsibility: press the damn button.
Goal Judges were first used around 1877 in Montreal. They were initially called umpires.
Two-goal judges are used for calling tallies on the ice, one at each end of the ice, directly behind the net, with a clear view of the goal line. As stated above, when the judge witnesses the puck completely cross the red line, he is to immediately press the buzzer, activating the red light and signaling a score. Behind the net, officials act only in an advisory role; the referee has the ultimate authority to override the goal judge and decide whether a goal is good.
NHL scoring judges most commonly wear casual attire with a sweater or a sports coat bearing a league affiliation logo.
With the advent of video technology and the desire to sell more seats, the scoring judge position behind the net was removed and relocated to elevated areas above the ice; the most commonly used is the press box or catwalk. As of the end of the 2018-2019 season, the National Hockey League has stopped using judges to light the lamp. The job now belongs to the video goal judge, who triggers the red light from the video replay booth. He has decided on disputed scores and the “War Room” in Toronto.
Lamp Lighter’s Extinguished
Meet Ted McPhee, a relic of the past. Ted has been lighting lamps in NHL arenas for nearly 58 years. By David Baker, the NHL’s senior director of off-ice officials, Ted was informed of the NHL’s decision to eliminate his position as a scoring judge permanently.
Ted recalls many wonderful moments behind the plexiglass. One such night was on December 30, 1981, when Ted was officiating from his seat behind the net; he witnessed history as Wayne Gretzky scored his 50th goal in 39 games, scoring five markers against the Philadelphia Flyers. McPhee recalls one night when Gretzky hit the crossbar with a hard shot, McPhee didn’t turn the light on. Wayne skated behind the net when play resumed and whacked his stick right at McPhee’s face near the glass.
After the Intermission, Gretzky must have seen the replay and apologized to NHL goal judge Ted McPhee.
Conclusion
Although it’s sad to see the end of the goal judge era, moving forward with the times is also necessary. With NHL goal judges now removed, fans have technical innovations to give them an interactive experience at home, such as the Budweiser Red Light. The Bud Light Red Light works via WIFI and goes off when a favorite team or team scores; the light goes off in real-time and adds extra fun for the viewer.
Honorable Mention
Although he was never an official NHL goal judge, Andre Racicot, a former netminder of the Montreal Canadians, will forever be remembered as Red Light Racicot because of his innate ability to turn on the red light behind him. Racicot began his NHL career with Montreal and played for them from 1989-1993, winning a Stanley Cup In 1993. In his first NHL game, December 9, 1989, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Racicot allowed three goals on six shots in less than 13 minutes before being pulled; this gave him a one-game goals-against average of 13.85 and a save percentage of .500 forever earning him the title “Red Light.” If he didn’t have a future as an NHL-caliber goaltender, then there was always a career opportunity being an NHL goal judge turning the lamp red.
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