Both the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres were denied goals last night due to questionable goaltender interference calls made after video review.
Goaltender interference has become a significant issue for the NHL this season, with standards appearing to fluctuate from game to game and referee to referee. There doesn’t seem to be a consistent guideline applied by the league.
This season, the league appears to be more lenient towards goaltenders, as even minimal contact has often been deemed sufficient for interference, as was the case in last night’s games. In the Rangers matchup, Adam Fox’s goal was overturned after San Jose challenged it, citing that Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck made contact with the goalie’s stick from behind, slightly diverting Blackwood’s position.
Fans largely agreed that the goal should have been allowed, with many believing Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci was the one pushing Trocheck into the stick. Fortunately, the overturned goal did not affect the game’s outcome, as Trocheck later scored, restoring the Rangers’ two-goal lead, leading to a 3-2 victory.
In Buffalo, Dylan Cousins’ goal was also disallowed after a challenge from St. Louis, as Zach Benson was deemed to have contacted goalie Jordan Binnington. However, Benson was pushed into the goalie by a Blues defender, which should have negated the interference call.
Fortunately, neither of these calls impacted the final results of their respective games. While the Blues gained an undeserved point, it ultimately had little consequence. Nonetheless, the potential for a crucial bad call to sway the outcome of a game remains, and it’s likely to happen again soon.
