NHL referee Tim Peel was caught on a hot mic during Tuesday night's game between the Predators and Red Wings admitting that he called an unwarranted penalty against Nashville.
Former NHL referee Tim Peel, that is.
After Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson was sent to the box for tripping Red Wings defenseman Jon Merrill at 4:56 of the second period -- a call that left Arvidsson in disbelief -- Peel was heard saying on the TV broadcast, "It wasn’t much but I wanted to get a [expletive] penalty against Nashville early in the — " before his mic cut out.
Fortunately for the Predators, they killed the ensuing power play for Detroit on their way to a 2-0 win. Puck don't lie, right?
The NHL investigated the matter Tuesday night and announced Wednesday morning that the veteran official will "no longer will be working NHL games now or in the future."
"Nothing is more important than ensuring the integrity of our game," the league's VP of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said in a statement. "Tim Peel’s conduct is in direct contradiction to the adherence to that cornerstone principle that we demand of our officials and that our fans, players, coaches and all those associated with our game expect and deserve. There is no justification for his comments, no matter the context or his intention, and the National Hockey League will take any and all steps necessary to protect the integrity of our game.”