With 9:26 left in the third period, Alex Ovechkin appeared to tie the game up 3-3 after stuffing a loose puck under Petr Mrazek’s pads and into the back of the net. Instead, officials on the ice ruled that Ovechkin made contact with Mrazek’s pad and waved the goal off.
The NHL reviewed the play in Toronto and the call on the ice was upheld.
By Ian Oland 4 years ago
The Pittsburgh Penguins appeared to narrow the Capitals’ lead to one midway through the third period.
As Sidney Crosby attempted a wraparound, Patric Hornqvist crashed the net, knocking home – or so we thought – the rebound past Braden Holtby. While Hornqvist celebrated with his teammates, officials never ruled it a good goal on the ice.
After a lengthy goal review, the NHL decided that there was no evidence the puck ever crossed the goal line.
The Capitals lost Game Two to the Penguins 2-1. Late in the second period, the Capitals tied the game… or so we thought. The Caps and Pens scrummed in front of the net, then the puck bounced out to Nate Schmidt, who roofed it. Washington’s players on the ice celebrated, Verizon Center lost its collective mind, and the official waved it off.
Instead of a goal, the Caps got a penalty: Evgeny Kuznetsov for goalie interference. Barry Trotz was furious, demanding an explanation as the Verizon Center crowd erupted in a “Ref, you suck!” chant.
Let’s take a closer look at this pivotal moment.
Photo: Geoff Burke
The NHL has a conundrum on their hands. This season, NHL coaches were given the right to challenge a referee’s call on the ice to try and eliminate controversial goals. The intent was to fortify the integrity of the game. Instead the opposite is happening.
The Washington Capitals have seen two of their goals this season overturned through unbelievably strict enforcement of the goalie interference rule.
At the end of the second period, Mike Knuble shocked absolutely no one by doing what Mike Knuble does best — crashing the net, standing in the paint, and scoring a dirty goal, his first since December 5th.
Except, apparently, referee Eric Furlatt, who promptly waved it off. Injustice. We demand a goal review. We demand this be taken all the way to the Supreme Court. It wasn’t quite Game 7 of the Montreal series, but it must have stung for Knuble, who is on a 27-game scoreless streak and seemed hell-bent on making a difference in his first game back after three consecutive scratches.
Knuble ended the night with 3 hits, 2 shots on goal, and one assist in 17:07 of ice time, and he also briefly returned to the first line during the third period. A pretty good game overall, but this one is still going to haunt him.
Good goal, no? Perhaps the most good goal to ever be scored? You guys tell us:
By 11 years ago
