“Don’t believe everything you see on the Internet.”
So said Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray to reporters Tuesday amidst the latest hockey conspiracy theory.
And it’s a beauty — mostly because whichever side of the argument you fall on, the truth is moot.
The Penguins would have won Game 2 by one goal regardless if the stitching on Murray’s glove had been wound tight enough to snag Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Anton Stralman‘s shot in the first period.
This video, which looks a lot like a puck going through — not over — Murray’s catcher, sparked much conversation Tuesday. So much so, the Penguins felt obliged to offer up another angle in refute.
not sure if anyone else caught this yet, but stralman's goal went through Murray's glove pic.twitter.com/LXimlXsUbY
— Rich Miller (@atrichmiller) May 17, 2016
@atrichmiller Here's another look. pic.twitter.com/cej4n85pA7
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 17, 2016
A Penguins blog pointed out that Murray switched both his glove and blocker after the first period. Why would he do such a thing if not for an equipment malfunction?
Dana Heinze, the Penguins head equipment manager, then offered photographic evidence that Murray’s glove did remain in tact:
Matt Murray's catch glove there are no holes in the webbing- the puck DID NOT GO THROUGH THE GLOVE! It went over it. pic.twitter.com/3Jy0bMlR34
— Dana Heinze (@RealDanaHeinze) May 17, 2016
Only to follow it up with a joke. Heinze is joking, right? Right?!
Took a closer look – Matt Murray's Catch Glove Not sure how I missed this! pic.twitter.com/UQwgDNvTql
— Dana Heinze (@RealDanaHeinze) May 17, 2016
We’re sure the parallax view, as outlined by esteemed geometer John Shannon, can explain this.