Controversial Maple Leafs Goal Drawing a Lot of Attention After Win over Blackhawks
Photo credit: NHL
The Maple Leafs defeated the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday by a score of 5-2, but the win was not without its controversy as a goal was upheld despite appearing to be offside.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have now won back-to-back games coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break, but last night's victory in Chicago provided us with a bit of a head-scratching scenario.
For much of last night's win, the Leafs looked like the more dominant team, but there was a scenario late in the 3rd period that resulted in a Leafs goal that appeared to be offside.
After Pontus Holmberg fired one into the empty net, the play was met with an immediate coach's challenge. However, when the goal was upheld, fans at United Center in Chicago were understandably confused.
Here's the play in question:
William Nylander himself was shocked that the goal was not overturned, feeling like he was indeed offside.
The reason why the goal was upheld was that as John Tavares crossed the blueline, he took his stick off of the puck, and didn't touch it again until after Nylander had tagged up. The Leafs' video team was confident right from the start that it would be a good goal, as Craig Berube highlighted after the game.
"As it was going along, [the video team] kept saying that it was looking like it was a goal, and then he was clear [it was a good goal] before the decision was made (on the ice) that it was a good goal. We were fortunate there to get that one."
Berube did not alter his lineup between games in this weekend's back-to-back, other than shifting from Anthony Stolarz to Joseph Woll in goal. His trust in his group appeared to pay off, controversy notwithstanding.
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