The Toronto Maple Leafs looked like they were going to head into the first intermission Saturday with a 2-1 lead against the Winnipeg Jets after Tyler Bertuzzi‘s seventh goal of the season.
However, as the Leafs were celebrating the goal, the referee was quick to call it back leaving players on the ice confused. It was ruled that William Nylander interfered with Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
Sheldon Keefe challenged the call on the ice and after several minutes, the situation room upheld the call on the ice despite Nylander being pushed into Hellebuyck by defenceman Dylan DeMelo.
It was the first challenge that Keefe has lost this season with the Leafs perfect in the previous four challenges. It was just Keefe’s second lost challenge as an NHL head coach.
The NHL explained that Nylander impaired Hellebuyck’s ability to play his position in the crease based on Rule 69.1.
It states “Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend the goal.”
Since it was called no-goal on the ice, the situation room would have to find enough evidence to overturn the ruling, leaving many confused.
Former NHL goaltender Mike McKenna, however, thought it was the right call. He said because Nylander entered the blue paint before he was pushed, it shouldn’t have counted.
