In a huge game in the playoff race, the Buffalo Sabres were left dazed and confused following a controversial call on what turned out to be the winning goal for the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Hudson Fasching‘s goal in the third period was originally called off for being kicked in — it appeared the Islander had the puck go off his shin as it was going forward on a cross-ice deflected pass from Josh Bailey. But upon video review, the NHL decided it was a good goal, saying it deflected off Fasching in a “legal fashion.”
The goal gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead — which ended up being the final score.
“It’s shocking. I don’t know how to explain it,” Sabres coach Don Granato told reporters. “I didn’t get an explanation so I don’t have an explanation for it. I’ve not seen that happen. Obviously, unfortunate.”
If a puck goes in by virtue of a ‘distinct kicking motion’, it is deemed no goal, according to Rule 37.4 of the NHL rule book. However, for purposes of video review, it says the video must show that “an attacking player has deliberately propelled the puck with a kick of his foot or skate and the puck subsequently enters the net.”
Because it appeared to go off Fasching’s shin, it opened the door to a reversal of the on-ice call.
But another rule, 78.5, states a goal should be disallowed “when the puck has been directed, batted or thrown into the net by an attacking player other than with a stick. When this occurs, if it is deemed to be done deliberately, then the decision shall be NO GOAL. A goal cannot be scored when the puck has been deliberately batted with any part of the attacking player’s body into the net.”
Buffalo News reporter Mike Harrington asked the NHL why rule 78.5 was not applied. The league replied: “”It was ruled a deflection off Hudson Fasching’s shin pad and, therefore, it was determined there was no distinct kicking motion.”
When asked about the play, Fasching said: “I didn’t think I kicked it. But it’s the officials’ call. Glad they got it right.”
Buffalo Twitter was raging afterward as the Islanders moved six points ahead of the Sabres in a race for a wild-card spot. Buffalo has the longest current active playoff drought in the NHL.
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