A generation later, it's the no-call that still haunts Toronto Maple Leafs supporters: Wayne Gretzky's high stick to the face of Doug Gilmour, in overtime of Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on May 27, 1993, the Maple Leafs up 3-2 in the series over the Los Angeles Kings.
Former NHL referee Kerry Fraser, who worked the game that fateful spring night in Hollywood, opened up about the play Tuesday in The Players' Tribune, saying if he had one do-over, it would be to get that call right.
"I was uncertain but I thought I had it right," Fraser writes about the incident, which he admits he's still asked about to this day. "I'm sorry."
Here's an excerpt from Fraser, describing his perspective on the ice:
Gretzky gets the puck. He shoots it, and my eyes go to the net. But Jamie Macoun blocks it. The puck rebounds between Gretzky and Doug Gilmour. When my eyes go back to Gretzky, I see a motion. Gilmour goes down. Did Gretzky’s stick follow through and catch him? Gilmour’s bent over now. He’s got blood on his chin.
And I have no idea what happened. That’s a helpless, helpless feeling. Under the 1993 rules, if Gretzky high-sticks Gilmour and it draws blood, it’s a five-minute major. He’s gone. It was a huge call to make - a worse one to miss.
Guys from both teams were skating up to me. It didn’t smell right. I should have known when I saw Gretzky skating away. Whenever there was a dispute, Gretz was always at the forefront arguing his side of it. But this time, he kind of slinked away. That was uncharacteristic. That should have tipped me off. But to be honest, I was attempting to roll back the play in my mind, over and over, looking for some measure of recall that would provide the evidence I needed.
If you're of another generation, here's what happened next: Gretzky scored the game-winning goal off the next faceoff. The Kings won 5-4, sending the series back to Toronto for a deciding Game 7, in which Gretzky played one of the best games of his life. He had a hat trick and an assist, the Kings again winning 5-4 and advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.
Who knows what happens if Gretzky's tossed from Game 6, but a Maple Leafs-Montreal Canadiens final was in the cards. Until it wasn't.
More from Fraser:
After the game, the NHL’s director of officiating Brian Lewis came into the referee’s room and said, "Good job tonight, guys." We really thought we got it right. There weren’t all the slow-motion cameras like they have today. It wasn’t until the next day that I saw another angle of the play on television. You could clearly see Gretzky high-sticking Gilmour.
It was missed. Period.
It was agony for Leafs fans. I understand the passion, the emotion and the frustration that Leafs fans have endured. They felt it was their time. When people come up to me and ask about it now, I just try to have a conversation with them. If I had one opportunity to turn back the hands of time for a "do over" it would be to catch that high-stick. I’m sure I’m not alone in that department.
Better late than never, right Maple Leafs fans?
