If you’re one of those weirdos who thinks that professional sports are fixed, Sunday night’s TNT scorebug just gave you a big piece of proof.
In Game 7 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series, the Florida Panthers trailed the Boston Bruins 3-2 with 60 seconds remaining in the third period. As the Panthers scrambled to make something happen, the TNT scorebug in the top left corner suddenly read “GOAL” despite the fact that no such goal had been scored. However, just 25 seconds later, Aleksander Barkov fired the puck to Brandon Montour who sent it into the net for the equalizing goal that sent the game into overtime. Cue the conspiracy theories!
WHAT DID THE TNT SCOREBUG KNOW??? pic.twitter.com/XcKnZIoxVO
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 1, 2023
Setting aside the idea that TNT and the NHL conspired to make sure this Game 7 went into overtime, the most likely scenario is that there was some kind of lag with the live feed that created a scenario where the scorebug was live but the game footage was delayed. It’s also possible that someone meant to hit the button for “Empty Net” as the Panthers removed their goalie from the ice and mistakenly hit “GOAL,” but that’s quite the coincidence.
Anyway, that’s quite the lag between the graphic and the goal, which created a real stir on social media while fans tried to figure out what they had just seen.
TNT execs clearly pining for those strong ratings for hockey that are typically generated from South Florida. https://t.co/Nl8ziqQSEJ
— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) May 1, 2023
Someone clearly meant to hit the “empty net” graphic and hit the wrong thing. Nothing to see here. https://t.co/ypE1pM1V2D
— Kevin Accettulla (@kevinaccettulla) May 1, 2023
The tv delay is 25 seconds. Someone in the tv truck hit the button while watching the raw feed. this has been my complaint this year and last during the playoffs. Beat writers are spoiling goals on twitter before they happen on tv. https://t.co/1C7YG2lpSW
— N (@fiveonfir3) May 1, 2023
Shout out to @NHL_On_TNT for triggering the Panthers goal signal on the scorebug 15 seconds before the goal so I knew that it was going to happen!
— Kevin Maggiore (@MaggioreKevin) May 1, 2023
The good news is that this means we get more Game 7 overtime hockey, which we’ll all take however we can get it.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.