I remember one day though pretty well;  New Year's Day, 1979. The WHA was on its last legs, and with so few teams left they decided to make their normally "friendly" games against International competition actually count in the standings. That was the stage for the high flying Winnipeg Jets as they took on the Czech All-Star Team. Of course being the WHA it was only on the radio.

 

It sounded like a pretty good game from the Winnipeg Arena, and the Jets led by goalie Joe Daley were hanging on for a victory. Then as time ran out the Czechs put the puck in the net. And that is when the controversy started.

 

In North America when the period ended at the same moment that a goal was scored the period was determined to be over and the goal disallowed. However, in that day's game the refs were from Europe, the land of the clock that counts up to 20:00 and not down to 0:00. Not sure if that was the confusion or not but the refs decided to count the goal.

 

The Jets and Bobby Hull were furious. They pleaded their case (or at least we listened to Ken "Friar" Nicholson tell us what the case was) to the ref but it fell on deaf ears. The game meant nothing to the Czechs other then pride, as it was not counted in their own standings, but it cost the Jets a point.

 

The game ended 3-3 and I remember being outraged...as I sat beside my Dad who had fallen asleep listening to the game on his day off.