Fans of the Edmonton Oilers might not want to hear this, but the head honcho of the NHL agrees with the final decision that cost their team an important game.

When speaking to Associated Press Sports Editors at the NHL headquarters in New York City on Tuesday, commissioner Gary Bettman revealed that he was in favour of the NHL Situation Room’s ruling on Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Poehling’s overtime winner in Game 4 of the Pacific Division semifinals against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night.

“It wasn’t a controversy, it was absolutely the right call,” Bettman said. “Because of the technology that we currently use and the cameras that we have inside the net, you could see it, knew for certain that it would be in and over the line.”

The goal came minutes into the extra frame at the Honda Center.

Poehling jammed the puck underneath Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry, with the puck narrowly crossing the goal line. However, the controversy came when the on-officials didn’t signal a goal, only announcing that the play was ruled a goal after a brief conference.

Then, an extended review took place to confirm the decision, though, from the camera angles provided, it was impossible to see any white ice between the puck and the goal line, thanks to Jarry’s skate blade hovering over the vulcanized rubber.

The goal gave the Ducks a 4-3 victory in Game 4, and a 3-1 lead as the series returned to Edmonton. After the game, head coach Kris Knoblauch stated that he couldn’t see how the puck went in.

“I can’t see the line,” said Knoblauch. “The [initial] goal call on the ice was probably about 60-90 seconds after [the shot], maybe even more. They huddled when they got to center ice, and then they made the [initial] call that it was a good goal…I don’t know. It wasn’t very definitive.”

The instance has sparked widespread outcry for a new process for properly tracking potential goals. While stationary cameras are able to do the job most of the time, incidents like the one on Sunday night can leave viewers and teams confused.

Game 5 between the Oilers and Ducks is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT.

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