Leafs/Coyotes game ends in controversy as tying goal called back
The Leafs, yet again, failed to start on time, resulting in a loss to the lowly Arizona Coyotes. However, the loss did not come without a significant amount of controversy, as the Leafs had appeared to tie the game late only to have the goal called back on what was determined after a play review to be a hand pass.
The play occurred in the final 45 seconds of the game when Morgan Rielly kept the puck in at the blueline when he gloved it down, while tied up with Clayton Keller. Marner then picked it up after the puck hit Keller's skate and the Leafs ended up tying the game on an Alex Kerfoot goal. However, the league called down to review the supposed hand pass from when Rielly knocked the puck down.
Even though the puck hit Coyotes' Clayton Keller, the league ruled that he was not in control and therefore it was a hand pass by Rielly to Marner nullifying the goal and of course leading to the Leafs losing to the lowly Coyotes once again. What leads this to be more controversial is how the rulebook dictates what a hand pass is as you can see the below.
The rule clearly states that what Rielly did in batting the puck out of the air is allowed and not considered a hand pass unless the on-ice officials deem it to be. None of the officials deemed it to be so why did the league feel the need to review it at their offices? We're four games into the season and the officiating seems like it's worse than last season.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 17 | 1036 ANSWERS Leafs/Coyotes game ends in controversy as tying goal called back What did you think about the controversial goal call-back? | ||
| Absolute BS | 849 | 81.9 % |
| Doesn't matter. Leafs deserves to lose | 135 | 13 % |
| They got the call right | 52 | 5 % |
| List of polls | ||
