Stars HC Pete DeBoer disagrees with Scott Arniel on contested Game 3 goal

Game 3 between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets demonstrated the toughness of this series. As a result, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer and Jets head coach Scott Arniel disagreed with a contested goal.

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck looked to put the puck in his net. The puck went off his stick and went into their net, counting as a goal. Still, Arniel disagreed with the call.

“The rule states that if a puck gets kicked, it hits a body or a stick of anybody other than a goaltender, it counts as a goal. It hit our goaltender’s stick and went in the net. That is no goal. So, they said that Helly propelled the puck in. I haven’t seen the word ‘propel’ in the rulebook,” Arniel said via ESPN.

DeBoer refuted that claim and gave his interpretation.

“I believe the rule reads that if [Hellebuyck is] making a play on the puck, that it’s a goal. So, that’s the difference. Does it just deflect off him or, is he trying to make a play with the puck? I think they got it right,” he said.

Stars HC Pete DeBoer and Jets HC Scott Arniel have a disagreement

However, the NHL rule book says something different about Arniel’s point.

Rule 78.4 states that “a goal shall be scored if the puck is shot into the goal by a player of the defending side. The player of the attacking side who last touched the puck shall be credited with the goal, but no assist shall be awarded.

A goal shall be scored if the puck is put into the goal in any other manner by a player of the defending side.

From how it looked, Hellebuyck played the puck into his own goal, rather than it coming off his stick. Either way, it was a tough call that left Winnipeg sour.

After Hellebuyck delivered a shutout for the Jets in Game 2, Dallas came out swinging and took a 2-1 series lead.

At the end of the day, like most of the second-round series, this will be another dramatic and eventful one. With Winnipeg winning 56 games in the regular season, they were expected to cruise through the playoffs.

However, the Stars are having something to say about that. Not to mention, the St. Louis Blues took the Jets to seven games in the opening round.

No matter what, a goal like this can influence the rest of the series if it lingers for too long.