Twice in their past three playoff games the Sabres have felt burned by a controversial goal. Brett Hull's foot was clearly in the crease on the goal in the third overtime of Game 6 that won the Stanley Cup for the Dallas Stars last June. Friday night, the Philadelphia Flyers scored the tying goal, the one that changed the momentum of the game, on a shot by John LeClair that TV replays later showed entered the net through a gaping hole in the twine to the left of Dominik Hasek, who had his net covered perfectly. The Flyers ultimately won the game, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"Another fine mesh," the Toronto Sun said in a headline over its story.

"Nothing but net," the Buffalo News said.

All we can say is it's hard not to feel sorry for the Sabres, who deserved better on both counts.

After the Hull goal, the NHL's brain trust conveniently devised a "possession rule" that few had heard about outside officiating circles. Hull had possession of the puck when he was in the crease, so he wasn't breaking any rules and the goal stood.

After the latest fiasco, there's plenty of blame to go around. The Flyers were guilty of using faulty equipment. On ice officials are guilty of not inspecting the nets thoroughly enough before the game and between periods. Hasek himself can be faulted for not seeing the problem, if not before the goal then immediately afterward.

Or we can just blame the messenger. The NHL's video system wasn't thorough enough to pick up the puck entering the goal through the net, but ESPN's was, thanks to it's "netcam" attached to the center post inside the net. Excuse us, but if the NHL is going to give broadcasters the right to install those cameras, shouldn't the league have access to the pictures it records to ensure the right calls are made?

One more point, which Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock made amid all the whining out of Buffalo after that otherwise great playoff series ended: "Try scoring more than one goal a game."

Bowman seeks No. 10

Most guys have their ring fingers measured after they win the Stanley Cup. Detroit coach Scotty Bowman is down to his second thumb.

In a 40-year career as coach, Bowman has an NHL-record 1,144 regular-season victories and 201 playoff wins heading into Saturday's Game 2 against Los Angeles. He has eight Stanley Cup coaching victories, tying him with the Montreal Canadiens' Toe Blake, and another ring as a front-office member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991.

At 66, he has shown no signs of letting up. But even as his quest for a 10th Stanley Cup is barely under way, questions are beginning to surface about his future beyond this season. That's as much a rite of spring around Detroit as the Tigers' baseball opener.

"Sooner or later he's going to retire. Hopefully it's later rather than sooner," general manager Ken Holland said. "He's going to be a tremendous loss."

Non-playoff drama

After four years of missing the Stanley Cup tournament, fan interest in Calgary has fallen faster than the NASDAQ. And the red ink is flowing so heavily the Flames are extorting their following for the same kind of bailout the Ottawa Senators sought at midseason, or the team just might wind up on EBay going to the highest bidder.

Season ticket sales have dropped to 9,000 from a franchise-high of 17,000 six years ago. Management, after getting the faithful's attention by firing general manager Al Coates and coach Brian Sutter, is warning that unless it can pump up the season-ticket base to 14,000 by the end of June, the team will be sold.

Another non-playoff team could make headlines next week after Boston coach Pat Burns meets with team president and general manager Harry Sinden.

Odds are against Burns returning for the final season of his four-year contract, but it's hardly a foregone conclusion that he'll be fired.

Burns has ingratiated himself to the media and, more importantly, his players. None was more supportive than Raymond Bourque, whose decision to leave Boston after nearly 21 years was interpreted as a stinging indictment of the way Sinden has been running this franchise into the ground.

Gate receipts have always been more important to the Bruins than wins and losses, and the team can ill-afford another public-relations disaster that might cost them more patrons. Don't be surprised, then, if Sinden and Burns emerge with some kind of peace accord.

Slap shots

• Flyers coach Roger Neilson, unwanted by his team after declaring himself fit to return to work after treatment for cancer, has retreated to Dallas to spend time with his friend, Nancy Nichols. Team officials said Neilson didn't want to become a distraction to the club. Neilson vowed to return for the second round. Meantime, interim coach Craig Ramsey has done such a nice job with the Flyers -- 16-8-1 down the stretch and 2-0 in these playoffs -- that he is emerging as a leading candidate for a head coaching job next season. Some suggest if might even be in Philadelphia, if Neilson doesn't make a full recovery.
• History suggests we shouldn't read too much into Washington's 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh in Game 1. In 1989, the Boston Bruins were whipped 6-0 by Buffalo to open a first-round series, but came back to win the best-of-seven 4-1. In 1953, Detroit shelled Boston 7-0, then lost the semifinal series 4-2.
• Kirk Muller was two weeks from retirement when the Dallas Stars signed him for peanuts as a free agent. Scott Thornton was considered expendable by the Montreal Canadiens in January. Each had a goal and an assist in Dallas' 3-0 Game 2 victory over Edmonton.
• Floating 58-goal-scorer Pavel Bure had one shot and was a minus-2 in Florida's 4-3 loss in Game 1 at New Jersey, during which he played less than four minutes of the opening period because of chronic defensive lapses.
• Phoenix's top line of Jeremy Roenick, Mikael Renberg and Keith Tkachuk managed just one shot on goal against Colorado in Game 1. The Coyotes desperately miss Rick Tocchet, traded to Philadelphia for Renberg in the most recent of a series of gaffes by GM Bobby Smith.

The final word

"They may beat us 8-1 in one game. The response in Washington will be, 'Everything is over.' But it won't be. It's a seven-game series." Capitals coach Ron Wilson, speaking before his club was routed 7-0 in Game 1 by Pittsburgh.