NHL Analyst Paul Bissonnette Wonders If Referee Was Betting On Game

After the game-winning goal was called off in the first overtime of last night's Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche game, NHL on TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette asked on air if the referee was betting on the game after missing a goal. 

The drama started with 7:29 remaining in the first period. Stars forward Mason Marchment appeared to score what would have been the series-advancing goal, but it was waved off due to what was called goalie interference by Dallas's Matt Duchene. 

And in what seems to be occurring WAY too often these days - the replay officials upheld the ref's change, despite not having ample evidence to do so. 

REFEREE WAVED OFF GAME-WINNING STARS GOAL

"Obviously, with the ref waiving it off, they’re probably going upstairs. They’re saying, ‘Well, we’ve got to stick with the original call.’ So I don’t know if that ref's got that DraftKing Sportsbok going right now. But that was kind of a BS call," Bissonnette said rather candidly.

After the game, Marchment agreed with Bissonnette and was not pleased when he told reporters the explanation he was given by officials.

"I think, honestly, they didn’t want to make it a deciding goal, right? I get it, but I think there’s got to be some sort of standard, because you can’t push a guy into your own goalie and not have it be goaltender interference. There’s just got to be some sort of standard," Mason said. 

Fortunately for the Stars, they would be able to score in the 2nd overtime and defeat the Avalanche 4 games to 2 as Dallas heads to the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row. 

SPORTS BETTING BLURS LINES

The NHL on TNT analyst isn't the first to question the referees' decision, and he won't be the last, especially as sports betting, and multi-million dollar partnerships continue to grow and expand across all professional sports.

Remember the UCONN vs Iowa Women's Final Four controversial "illegal screen" foul call to end the game just a few months back? The first thought in many fans' minds was that the fix was in. 

And can you really blame people anymore? Everyone knows that with less than a minute left in a close football game, it's almost a given that the refs will throw some sort of flag. It's ridiculous. But to now have on-air commentators bring it up shows just how egregious the errors are.

PLAYERS NOT HAPPY EITHER

However, it's not just fans that are questioning perhaps some ulterior motives by officials. Earlier this season, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert began rubbing his fingers together and making the money sign directly at the referee after fouling out.

That would have been unheard of just a few years ago - both from Gobert and TNT's Bissonnette.

And let's not even get started with the Shohei Ohtani mess

Unfortunately, there's no turning back for the continuing partnerships from the likes of DraftKings and FanDuel to all aspects of the media.

The question is - will the leagues have the courage to step up and combat it?