It appeared the St. Louis Blues were headed for an early 1-0 lead over the visiting Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night (though not as early as Winnipeg’s 1-0 lead), but a goalie interference call voided the tally.
The goal by Jaden Schwartz — which you can see below — was disallowed after referees ruled that Blues forward Jori Lehtera made incidental contact with Senators goalie Robin Lehner.
Two questions need to be answered with this call: do you think Lehner embellished the contact? And does incidental contact apply when the player doesn’t skate through the blue ice?
Let’s consult the NHL Rulebook, and more specifically, Rule 69.4, Contact Outside the Goal Crease:
“If an attacking player initiates any contact with a goalkeeper, other than incidental contact, while the goalkeeper is outside his goal crease, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.
“A goalkeeper is not ‘fair game’ just because he is outside the goal crease. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an attacking player makes unnecessary contact with the goalkeeper. However, incidental contact will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such unnecessary contact.”
So, what do you think? Was the right call made in St. Louis on Tuesday night? Or were the Blues denied a legitimate goal?
UPDATE: Here’s the NHL official ruling on the play:
At 13:58 of the second period in the Ottawa Senators/St. Louis Blues game, the Situation Room initiated a video review because the puck entered the St. Louis net. The referee informed the Situation Room that Senators forward Erik Condra made incidental contact in the crease with Blues goaltender Brian Elliott before the puck crossed the goal line. This is not a reviewable play therefore the referee’s call on the ice stands – no penalty and no goal Ottawa.
