Rangers furious with blown call in loss to Flames: ‘I still don’t understand it,’ coach laments
New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette and his players were furious at a non-call that led to a second-period power-play goal for the Calgary Flames on Thursday night. The goal gave the Flames a 2-0 lead in a game they ultimately won 3-2, ending the Rangers three-game winning streak.
The Flames already led 1-0 when Yegor Sharangovich chipped a puck into the right corner during a second-period man advantage. Teammate Jonathan Huberdeau tried to catch it but missed. The puck deflected off his glove as he tried to put it down on the ice, and it went behind the net to teammate Matt Coronato. The puck found its way back to Huberdeau, who fed Sharangovich in the right circle for a one-timer that beat Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin at 8:29.
Laviolette challenged the on-ice goal call, contending that Huberdeau had made a hand pass to Coronato and that play should have been stopped. But after a lengthy review, Huberdeau’s play was deemed a deflection rather than a hand pass, the goal stood and the Rangers were assessed a bench minor for delay of game.
To say that Laviolette was unhappy is an understatement.
“He opened up his hand to play the puck,” the coach said during his brief postgame media scrum. “He goes to grab it, and it bats off of his hand and goes right to their player. It got called dead two more times in the game – the exact same plays. It gets called dead every time. Any time that ever happens on the ice, it gets called dead. So, I don’t understand it. I still don’t understand it.”
Two Rangers defensemen were also puzzled and displeased with the call.
“I don’t know the exact definition of the rule,” captain Jacob Trouba said. “I thought it was definitely worth a challenge. Pucks hit gloves that are kind of in the air and it’s deemed a hand pass, and this game it’s kind of a similar play.”
Ryan Lindgren was more succinct
“I saw it,” he said. “I thought it was a hand pass.”
Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from disappointing 3-2 loss to Flames
‘Frustrated’ Rangers may have stolen win against Flames if not for controversial call
According to NHL Rule 79.1, “A player shall be permitted to stop or ‘bat’ a puck in the air with his open hand, or push it along the ice with his hand, and the play shall not be stopped unless, in the opinion of the on-ice officials, he has directed the puck to a teammate, or has allowed his team to gain an advantage, and subsequently possession and control of the puck is obtained by a player of the offending team, either directly or deflected off any player or official.”
The League said the Situation Room determined “that the puck deflected off Jonathan Huberdeau’s glove prior to Yegor Sharangovich’s goal, therefore, it was not deemed to be a hand pass.”
The play ended up costing the Rangers an additional penalty in the third period. Center Vincent Trocheck, who pointed out similar plays ruled to be hand-passes to the officials as the game went on, was assessed a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct at 6:44. The Rangers killed the ensuing power play to keep the score tied 2-2, but Connor Zary’s goal at 10:35 gave the Flames the winning margin.
“We can’t take those penalties,” Laviolette said of the call on Trocheck, “but we were frustrated on the bench.”
The Rangers were also frustrated by their own play to start the game. They played a brutal first period, out-shot 20-5, out-chanced 34-11, and with a miserable 13.8 percent xGF percentage in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick.
It did get somewhat better as the game progressed. Despite the blown call, in their eyes, the Rangers tied the game with a pair of quick-strike goals by Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle 16 seconds apart later in the second period.
The Rangers had a 7-2 advantage in high-danger scoring chances in the third period, but fell short when Connor Zary scored the game-winner for the Flames at 10:35.
If not for Shesterkin, who sparkled with 46 saves, the Rangers would have been run out of the building. And if not for that controversial call, they somehow could’ve stolen a win in Calgary.
More About:New York Rangers News
Read This Next
