Twenty-two seconds from a post-holiday-break victory, the Winnipeg Jets saw Saturday's game slip through their fingers at the final moment.
The Jets led 3-2 entering the last minute, but the Minnesota Wild were sent to the power play at 19:30 of the period on a Dylan DeMelo cross-checking penalty.
Winnipeg head coach Scott Arniel was visibly incensed by the call on the Jets bench, screaming at officials as Minnesota called a timeout.
After the game, Arniel explained that he was upset by the referees calling DeMelo for his check to the back of Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek, when Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey had been sent to the ice by a hit from behind just moments earlier.
“That was a terrible non-call on Josh Morrissey. Absolute terrible non-call," Arniel said. "It should have been called. Head-first into the boards. And then a ticky-tack little call after that.”
Morrissey was hit by Eriksson Ek, prompting DeMelo's retaliation.
The Wild went on the score with the man advantage, as Mats Zuccarello evened the game at three and sent it to overtime.
In the extra frame, Matt Boldy netted the game-winner, adding further insult to injury for the Jets, who came oh so close to a win.
It didn't stop Arniel from zeroing in on the Morrissey hit, however, as Winnipeg's bench boss had more to say about the play.
“Any other top players in the league, elite players, get hit from behind into the boards, I’m pretty sure that’s a penalty,” he said.
