It’s that time of year again.  The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs and you know what that means?  Its conspiracy theory time again.  Ah yes, let me take you back to 2004 when the Calgary Flames were playing the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Stanley Cup.  In game 6 Flames forward Martin Gelinas appeared to score what would have been the go ahead goal for the Flames who were leading 3-2 in the series at the time.  The ref waived it off and upon video review; they did not have enough evidence to overturn the call.  Another video replay later showed that the puck appeared to have crossed the line.  One could argue that Gelinas directed the puck in with his skate, however it was ultimately ruled no goal and Tampa Bay came back to score the overtime winner to tie the series.  They subsequently went home and won game 7 for their first Stanley Cup title in the history of the franchise.  The fallout here in Calgary was astronomical.  It was alleged that the whole Stanley Cup final was rigged.  Rumours were that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman did not want the Calgary Flames to win the Stanley Cup.  Theorists went on to say that when Bettman caught wind that a replay showed the Gelinas puck had gone into the net, that Gary himself called up to say not to allow the goal to stand.  How funny is that?

There are still people in this fine city that to this day, believe there was a conspiracy against the Flames by the NHL.  This year during the first round when the Washington Capitals held a 3-1 lead over the Montreal Canadiens, there were Hab fans that were saying that Gary Bettman was telling the refs to call penalties against Montreal so that they would lose.  According to the latest conspiracy theory it was better for the league if they had Ovechkin playing longer in the playoffs than the unknown Montreal Canadiens players.  If that were the case, that plan sure blew up in Bettman’s face.  (Insert sarcasm here).   He must have lost a bundle on his Proline ticket.
 
There were a lot of questionable, close calls that happened throughout the playoffs and I am sure there will be more in the showdown between Philly and Chicago for Lord Stanley’s Cup.  But I hate to spoil the party conspiracy geeks...  Neither Gary Bettman nor any other NHL officials are secretly designing the outcome of games.  If that were the case the league would see to it that every series went 7 games and Ovechkin and Crosby would face each other in the final.  But guess what conspiracy theorists?  It didn’t happen because the games are played by the players.  And in the end its they who decide the final outcome. 

So to all of you that still believe the games are fixed or it is all in Bettman’s great plan to ensure your favourite team loses, put on your Star Wars PJ’s and head back down into your mother’s basement.