Why the NHL has more efficient officiating than the MLB

Game 6 of the World Series featured the sports call heard around the world. We’ve seen similar things in the NHL, but unlike MLB umpires, hockey refs are better suited to prevent and overturn bad calls.

Even though the NHL had a full schedule of games Tuesday night, a potential deciding Game 6 of the World Series took place as well. Although the Washington Nationals won to keep the MLB’s title series alive, the game was not without its controversy.

A blown call at the top of the seventh inning led to clearly safe base runners for the Nationals being called out. The umpires claimed it was catcher interference on the Astros first baseman, but diving into the whole mechanics of the rules at play would take too long. Kate Upton’s take via Twitter on the whole scenario is entirely wrong, but I’ll just move on from there.

Here’s a quick little video just so you know what I’m talking about.

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If any St. Louis Blues fans were watching it probably gave them flashbacks to that infamous blown call during Game 3 of the Western Conference Final in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs against the San Jose Sharks. While the World Series call could have been potentially series-deciding, the Game 3 handpass was so bad that gambling sites decided to issue refunds.

Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy even called out NHL officiating during last year’s playoffs. Remember when the deciding goal in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final was seemingly scored off a missed tripping call against the Blues?

With all the comments and complaints NHL officiating receives, the World Series call and its aftermath point out one stunning difference between officials in both sports. Surprisingly, it suggests that the NHL is the better of the two. Or at least it’s a little less bad.

The World Series call went to a video replay back in New York that surprisingly upheld the call on the field in Houston. Joe Torre, who is Major League Baseball Chief Baseball Officer, defended the call. Most of Torre’s defense was that the umpire reacted and made what was a “judgment call”, making it non-reviewable.

The phrase “judgment call” should seem alarming to sports fans, but it points out one seemingly clear and major difference between the NHL and the MLB. When hockey officials blow calls, at least the rules they refer to remain steadfast and the same. Allowing judgment calls as valid procedure opens the door too much more seemingly justifiable human error.

There still remain a few rules in the NHL rule book that can evoke similarities. For example, a referee can call a play dead when he loses sight of the goal even if it’s visible to thousands of fans in the stands and watching at home. Also, a play can be called dead as long as the official “intends” to blow his whistle.

Still, the striking difference remains – those are rules in the rule book. Rules you don’t agree with are still rules, but “judgment calls” open up the grey area of officiating having almost no rhyme or reason. You have to answer to rules. You don’t necessarily have to answer to judgment calls.

So remember this next time your favorite team has a blown call or missed penalty against them, it could be worse. Imagine if instead of missing a trip or high stick NHL referees were able to say that they’re “judgment call” was everything is fine, even after your star forward had three teeth knocked out and is bleeding on the ice after being the victim to a high stick. Sports officiating is an imperfect science at best, but some sports seem better than others.