Doug Gilmour shares critical details of infamous missed high sticking call in 1993

While the Toronto Maple Leafs have endured their share of horror stories throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the last 11 years, one notable incident from the early 1990s still makes fans old enough to remember it cringe. 

In what was perhaps one of the most consequential missed penalty calls in postseason history, Wayne Gretzky got away with a blatant high-sticking infraction against Doug Gilmore in Game 6 of the 1993 Clarence Campbell Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs. 

At the time of the incident, the Leafs held a 3-2 series lead. To make matters worse, despite not being penalized for what was clearly a high-stick that drew blood from Gilmour's chin, Gretzky went on to score the overtime winner in that game and then followed it up with a hat trick in Game 7, propelling the Kings to the Cup Final.

And much to the chagrin of Leafs fans, referee Kerry Fraser would continuously insist that he didn't see the incident despite replays showing he had a clear line of sight toward Gilmour and Gretzky.

While making an appearance on the "Mission' Curfew" podcast, Gilmour shared additional details behind the fateful non-call and also lays some of the blame at the skates of the linesmen who were working the game in addition to Fraser. 

"It was just off the draw and he came up underneath," Gilmour said. "Kerry Fraser said it was a follow-through, but it wasn't. He came up underneath and hit me in the chin. You can't just blame Kerry on this. There's one referee out there, two linesmen. If the linesmen call it, it's a five-minute [penalty], game misconduct.

Well, that would have been a riot in LA... I kind of blame the linesmen, too. Just say 'Kerry, say you saw it, give him a two-minute penalty and they're going to play four-on-four.'"

To this day, that series remains the closest that the Leafs have come to advancing to the Stanley Cup Final since their last championship in 1967. 

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