The murkiness of the no-goal call on Sharks F Joe Pavelski
It has grown into one of the most talked about calls of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs — well, if you were awake to witness it.
The Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks played an absolute thriller into triple-overtime and into the wee hours, which ended with a 4-3 win for Nashville. The game could have ended a lot sooner, with a much different result.
There were a few questionable calls in the Cinco de Mayo tilt, but none was more controversial than the call made in the premier OT in which San Jose captain Joe Pavelski’s goal attempt was waived off.
It was first waived off because Pavelski made contact with his glove. Then it was ruled a good goal. And then waived off again for supposed “goalie interference” — to which the Sharks, particularly Pavelski, believes he was checked into Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne by center Paul Gaustad.
While the goal counting or not doesn’t change the fact that the Sharks weren’t able to pot the game-winner in the time of play that followed, it goes to wonder if the incident will be used as an example for games to come.
The ruling itself is still a bit murky. It at least sure as heck wasn’t clear to the Sharks.
“I don’t understand, I guess incidental contact is you’re cross-checked from behind while you’re in the air, and you have the opportunity to stop,” coach Pete DeBoer said after the game, per Kevin Kurz of Comcast SportsNet California. “That rule has been clear as mud to every coach in the league all year, so why should it be any different tonight?”
Pavelski commented on the called-off goal, per the San Jose Mercury News.
"I know I hit it in, so I'm waiting for it, and later they're saying they're going to look at goaltender interference, too," Pavelski reportedly said. "They just kind of covered it, you know? ... What are you going to do, it's kind of out of your hands.”
NHL.com provided the full explanation of how the NHL Situation Room came to its final ruling on the goal. CBS Sports went even further to dissect the ruling and why it’s, as DeBoer said, a bit fuzzy:
Here's what the NHL said in its release about the review initiated by the NHL's Situation Room and the final decision:
“After reviewing all available replays and consulting with NHL Hockey Operations staff, the Referee confirmed that San Jose's Joe Pavelski made incidental contact with Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne the puck crossed the goal line, preventing Rinne from doing his job in the crease.
"Therefore the original call stands — no goal San Jose Sharks”
Calling that incidental contact is a bit of a tough sell, unless they thought Pavelski had enough time to avoid contact with Weber, which — again — seems unlikely. There was a wide range of opinions on this one, though.
Again, this didn’t change the fact that San Jose had a couple choice chances to find the back of the net in double- and triple-overtime and wasn’t able to cash it in. But should the call be a turning point in the series, it won’t be surprising if the subject of its “murkiness” becomes a hot topic headed through the rest of postseason play.
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