Jets’ goalie Hellebuyck expresses ongoing concerns about NHL's controversial goaltender interference calls.
The performance before the dispute was quite straightforward. Just over six minutes into Sunday’s match with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Winnipeg Jets, Brandon Hagel received a long pass from Erik Cernak, entered the Jets’ zone, looped back, and took a shot at Connor Hellebuyck.
Conor Geekie, a newcomer from Strathclair, Manitoba, with many relatives in the audience, redirected Hagel’s shot off the crossbar, sparking the start of the confusion.
The sudden deflection and surprising bounce off the crossbar caused Geekie, linemate Anthony Cirelli, Jets defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo, and Hellebuyck to momentarily freeze while trying to locate the puck. Cirelli was the first to reach the puck, deflecting a shot from Morrissey’s stick that rebounded into the goalmouth.
During a play with seven skaters crowding the low slot, four of them in the crease, Geekie attempted to swipe at the rebound but accidentally pushed his stick into Hellebuyck’s pads after missing the puck.
The puck remained in the crease, not touched, until DeMelo used his hand to move it into the slot. Morrissey and Geekie clashed, as Morrissey retaliated by cross-checking Geekie once and Geekie attempted to swipe at the puck twice but missed both times before falling down, causing Hellebuyck to be pushed deep into his net by his stick.
After that, Hagel scored a goal as Geekie sat on Hellebuyck’s lap, Morrissey stumbled at one post, Scheifele stood at the other, and DeMelo lay on the ice.
“Watch Connor Hellebuyck’s right pad, You can’t push the goaltender back into the net in order to score a goal, so (the Jets) are going to argue that yes, they interfered with him, pushed him back into the net, and then the puck came loose. How much do you allow here? How much do you allow a guy to fight?” : Brian Engblom said on Tampa Bay’s broadcast.
“In a rebound situation, or where a goalkeeper and attacking player(s) are simultaneously attempting to play a loose puck, whether inside or outside the crease, incidental contact will be permitted, and any goal that is scored as a result thereof will be allowed.”
The Lightning efficiently completed their power play. Only 97 seconds after Cernak assisted Hagel into the Jets zone, Brayden Point scored off a smart play by Nikita Kucherov, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 2-0.
Arniel was extremely angry while sitting on the bench. The frustration of Winnipeg’s players was also evident. Not surprisingly, Hellebuyck, a veteran of the NHL’s competition committee, was the most displeased.
It is normal for Hellebuyck to feel frustrated. Regardless of your opinion on the NHL’s situation room, Hellebuyck let in a goal with an opponent practically sitting in his lap. Despite the legality of Geekie’s play, Hellebuyck could not make a move for the puck.
Image Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images
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