Jets fans lose their minds after Stars’ controversial winning goal in Game 3

“So the refs say he kicked it but because it hit hellebuycks stick last it counts, but in the rules it says the goalies stick is excluded??? Genuinely makes no sense why this goal was allowed,” one Jets fan said.

In his on-ice announcement, the referee said it was a good goal because Hellebuyck propelled the puck into the net. It was a poor way to explain the ruling, as the rule book states that it would still be a kicking motion even if the shot goes in off another player.

In the post-game recap on Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman reported that the referees believed the puck wasn’t propelled with a kicking motion. The basis of a kicking motion is often debated, and most of the panel thought that the referees were wrong.

Kevin Bieksa argued that even though Hellebuyck put the puck in his own net, he wouldn’t have had to if Petrovic hadn’t kicked it towards him. He also said that it would have to be propelled by the kick, as the puck was going in an opposite direction away from the net before contact with the skate.

Kicked in goal wasn’t the only referee incident in Jets-Stars

The referees could have plenty of paperwork after this game, as the kicked-in goal wasn’t the only time they made the news. In the second period, Mason Marchment took a swing at Graham Skilliter’s shins with his stick after a missed call. It’s possible that Marchment could face some discipline for the incident.

It’s an unfortunate way for the go-ahead goal to happen in an exciting Game 3. The wheels fell off for the Jets after Petrovic made it 3-2, as the Stars then scored two more unanswered to take a 2-1 series lead. It’ll be interesting to see if the league further explains the reasoning post-game.