The Buffalo Sabres outclassed the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday but a bizarre play late in the second period raised some eyebrows.
Sabres defenceman Mark Pysyk fired a shot from the point and it squeaked across the goal line with forward Hudson Fasching screening Maple Leafs netminder Garret Sparks. The referee immediately waved off the goal.
The NHL’s Situation Room initiated a video review since the puck entered Toronto’s net, but the referee told the Situation Room Fasching made incidental contact in the crease, which is why he called it no-goal.
Even though the ref announced incidental contact was why he waved the goal off, it didn’t stop Sabres coach Dan Bylsma from challenging.
Not surprisingly, the no-goal call was upheld.
The NHL’s Hockey Operations Department released the following explanation:
At 17:17 of the second period in the Maple Leafs/Sabres game, Buffalo requested a Coach’s Challenge to review the “Interference on the Goalkeeper” decision that resulted in a “no goal” call.
After reviewing all available replays and consulting with NHL Hockey Operations staff, the Referee confirmed that Buffalo’s Hudson Fasching made incidental contact with Toronto goaltender Garret Sparks before the puck crossed the goal line, preventing Sparks from doing his job in the crease.
Therefore the original call stands – no goal Buffalo Sabres.
Since the Coach’s Challenge did not result in the original call being overturned, the Sabres forfeit their time-out.
Approximately 20 per cent of coach’s challenges have been overturned on account of goaltender interference this season.
All these challenges has led to referees repeating themselves like we saw Thursday. We saw something similar a couple weeks ago on a Kris Letang goal.
