NHL Continues To Get Goalie Interference Calls Right

From this angle, it is unclear whether or not Palmieri made contact with the goalie inside or outside the blue paint, aka the crease. However, from the overhead you can see he makes contact, albeit slight contact, there is contact.

As explained to the NHL GMs last week in Florida, the referees and the Situation Room will review many check boxes regarding goalie interference. Remember, they all went over 54 of the toughest calls already this season, and they deemed that the Situation Room got it right 52 times. Even the two calls the GMs felt were incorrect had a split vote of 19-13.

“Those were the 54 most difficult calls that they had to make,” commissioner Gary Bettman told the media. “Yes, it is a judgment call, but overwhelmingly the managers believe hockey ops has been consistent. It’s about consistency and the managers understand full well [the approach].”

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There is a lot of debate about what happened on Long Island regarding whether it was goalie interference or not. But it all comes down to the call on the ice. The referee made the no-goal call on the ice, and it went to video review.

As a former NHL referee, Dave Jackson told Full Press Hockey that the call on the ice would be the overriding call. Along with being in the blue paint, how the player got there, and who initiated contact, there will need to be an abundance of evidence to overturn the call.

But goalie interference is ultimately a judgment call. Whether fans like it or not, based on the standard the NHL and its Officials, along with the Situation Room, have used all year, the call on the ice was the right call. Even after the video review, which was used to assist the officials on the ice, the call was right.

Again, was there enough time for Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to reset and play his position? Who made contact first? Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri or Merzlikins? Did Palmieri try to avoid the goaltender? And the list goes on. Again, depending on whose side you are on, there will be a great debate about it. However, following the criteria, the NHL got the call right.

In addition to Dave Jackson, Full Press Hockey spoke with Tim Peel, who discussed the grey area still present when it comes to goal interference. It is a human call, after all. It is not black and white, like offside. It is subjective.

Nobody will ever be happy when it comes to goalie interference. Just go back to the beginning of the season when goaltender interference was a hot topic. Even last year during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, there was a lot of debate surrounding whether or not the NHL got the goaltender interference calls right. Some of them were very controversial.

This is why you can see the outrage amongst the fans. However, for the most part, the NHL follows the rulebook and the standards that the officials have set. Considering the enormity of the game between the Islanders and Blue Jackets, especially in the standings, many hope goalie interference does not cost a team a game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs or worse, the Stanley Cup.

But come the playoffs, the best officials are working the games. The standard for goal interference has largely remained the standard in the NHL, but it will always be a topic of conversation.