The Toronto Maple Leafs thought they had taken a 2-1 lead late in the first period Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers after Auston Matthews flipped a puck over the outstretched pad of Brian Elliott.
Upon review, however, the goal was called off since the net had been knocked off its mooring.
The fact a net is dislodge isn’t always enough to overturn a goal but the league released the following rationale as to why the call was overturned:
“At 19:03 of the first period in the Flyers/Maple Leafs game, the Situation Room initiated a video review to further examine a good goal call on the ice. Video review determined the net was off its moorings prior to Auston Matthews’ shot. According to Rule 78.5 (x), ‘When the net becomes displaced accidentally. The goal frame is considered to be displaced if either or both goal pegs are no longer in their respective holes in the ice, or the net has come completely off one or both pegs, prior to or as the puck enters the goal.’ No goal Toronto.”
This was the second consecutive game in which an opposing goalie had knocked the net off its mooring seconds prior to a Leafs player shooting the puck across the goal line.
“I didn’t see what happened there with the net coming off and whatnot but, you know, if that’s on purpose by them, especially in the last couple minutes in big situations, I would love to see that being a challenge at some point,” said John Tavares regarding the dramatic conclusion to Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. “That’s kind of a free out if that’s what happened.”
The Leafs eventually went down 5-2 to the Flyers before a pair of Jake Muzzin goals cut Philly’s lead to 5-4 heading into the third period.
Matthews got some redemption in the third period as he scored his 33rd and 34th goals of the season and the Leafs eventually won a wild one 7-6.
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