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An early look at the new coach's challenge in NHL games

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 10/14/15

The new coach's challenge in the NHL has only been in use for about a week, but we have already seen how it can alter a game.

To be more specific: Two of those challenges have been successful, and the most recent challenge arguably changed the tone of the contest in which it occurred.

During Tuesday night’s tilt between the San Jose Sharks and the Washington Capitals, Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer challenged a goal by Caps defenseman Dmitry Orlov, claiming goalie interference by Washington’s Jay Beagle on San Jose’s Martin Jones. After some review, DeBoer’s challenge successfully overturned the call, removing what would have been Washington’s first goal on the evening.

The successful challenge did two things. It preserved Jones’ early season shutout streak, which is currently second-longest in San Jose’s history at 178:11 minutes. It also visibly took the wind out of the Capitals’ sails, as they went on to get blanked 5-0 by the visiting Sharks.

The coach's challenge is still a new concept, as it was just introduced this past off-season. It also has some tight restrictions, as explained in this piece on NHL.com over the summer:

"The coach's challenge has been a topic discussed for several years. It is being limited to expanding video review to goals scored on plays that may potentially be offside and plays involving potential goalie interference to ensure that more calls made on the ice are correct.

As part of the proposal, to use its coach's challenge, the challenging team must still have its timeout."

However, it looks to be that the challenge can be worth the risk, as was the case for the Sharks.

This isn’t to say that every coach's challenge is going to result in an overturned goal that alters a game's trajectory, as we saw on opening night. The first-ever challenge came when Leafs’ coach Mike Babcock—in his first game behind Toronto’s bench, no less—successfully overturned a goal by the opposing Montreal Canadiens. Babcock’s challenge was a success, but it didn’t lead to victory as the Leafs fell 3-1 to the Habs.

It will be interesting to see how the coach's challenge gets used throughout the rest of the season, and how it affects the games in which it is used.

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