Carolina Hurricanes rookie Andrei Svechnikov got a goaltending interference call against the Capitals in the second period, but the 18-year-old doubled his pleasure as he attempted to step out of the penalty box.
You have to see this.
As Jakub Vrana tried to gather in a loose puck at the conclusion of a Capitals power-play, the second overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft played the puck while he was being freed from the Capital One Arena’s pit of misery.
It was a good play, except, you can’t do that.
According to section 56.2 of the NHL rulebook, this is interference.
A minor penalty shall be imposed on any identifiable player on the players’ bench or penalty bench who, by means of his stick or his body, interferes with the movements of the puck or any opponent on the ice during the progress of the play. In addition, should a player about to come onto the ice, play the puck while one or both skates are still on the players’ or penalty bench, a minor penalty for interference shall be assessed.
This isn’t the first time this obscure penalty has been called at Capital One Arena. During the 2016-17 season, Islanders forward Matthew Barzal did the same thing.
