Flyers Notes: NHL: No penalty for withheld replay

The NHL yesterday said it does not have the power to fine or penalize the Pittsburgh TV station FSN - or the Penguins - for the withheld replay that cost the Flyers' Simon Gagne a goal last Thursday.

"The NHL cannot fine [the station] because they're an independent contractor who pays for the rights of the games," said John Dellapina, a league spokesman. "They're not hired by the NHL. And the Penguins had nothing to do with what happened."

Gagne appeared to score late in the second period in Pittsburgh, but officials in Toronto ruled that the replay was inconclusive and did not allow the goal.

After the ruling, FSN Pittsburgh ran a replay that showed the puck had passed the goal line. The station did not send that replay to Toronto.

FSN indefinitely suspended the producer of its telecast, Lowell MacDonald Jr., on Tuesday.

The withheld replay "was an isolated incident," Dellapina said. "The hockey operations [department] in Toronto bends over backward to get every call right, regardless of which teams are playing."

Dellapina said the league "is at the mercy of the teams broadcasting the games" and that the NHL does not have the funds to supply more cameras other than the overhead shot it provides.

He added that the NHL did not cover up the incident by ignoring the controversial developments Tuesday on NHL.com. He said there was an editorial mix-up that caused the story not to be placed on the Web site until yesterday.

Defenseman Danny Syvret will miss the next month with a separated left shoulder, general manager Paul Holmgren said. He will be replaced tonight in Toronto by Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, who has been sidelined since Dec. 14 with a knee injury.

A little over a minute into Tuesday's 6-3 win over Dallas, Syvret was injured when checked into the boards by Steve Ott, who received a boarding penalty.

"Danny put himself in an awkward position with the way he turned to get away from Ott," Holmgren said. "Quite frankly, I didn't think it was a penalty. Danny put himself in a rough spot."

Scott Hartnell (undisclosed illness) will be in the lineup tonight.

Ryan Parent, who has had back issues, continued to skate on his own. He could practice with the team as early as tomorrow, Holmgren said, adding that the defenseman was probably a week away from playing in a game.

Tonight, Michael Leighton (8-0-1), the Flyers' sizzling goalie, will make his 11th straight start against Toronto, the team he followed while growing up in Ontario. In case you were curious, Leighton is 26 games shy of the team record for consecutive starts in a season - 37 by Bernie Parent in 1973-74. . . . The Flyers, winners of four straight, are 10-8-2 under coach Peter Laviolette. . . . The Flyers' power play is 9 for 17 (52.9 percent) in the last five games. . . . Quick starts have keyed the Flyers' 8-1-1 run. They have scored first in each of the last 10 games - and have allowed a first-period goal in just two of those contests.

- Sam Carchidi