Rangers archrival outraged over disallowed goal, lost point in playoff race: ‘f-ing embarrassing’
With Monday night off, all the New York Rangers could do was scoreboard watch as several of their Eastern Conference foes jockeyed for position in the wild-card race. While the Detroit Red Wings took care of business against the Utah Hockey Club to move two points back of the Rangers, an important, chaotic and controversial game played out on Long Island.
That’s where the Islanders hosted the Columbus Jackets in a crucial contest.
Entering the day with 73 points (32-28-9), a win for the New York Islanders would have tied them with the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the East with each team having 12 games to play.
In the visiting locker room, the Blue Jackets needed the win just as badly. Entering play on a six-game skid (0-5-1) the Blue Jackets (31-29-9) desperately needed a victory to remain within striking distance and regain some of their footing in the race.
The back and forth game was tied at three as the final minute of regulation ticked away. With under 10 seconds to play, Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov shot the puck from near the blue line. Right in front of Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins, Kyle Palmieri deflected the shot into the goal with only 8.9 seconds left.
Right away, the official waved off the goal believing Palmieri interfered with Merzlikins. Palmieri and the Islanders, stunned, pleaded their case with the referees as the decision went to Toronto, where there was not enough video evidence to change the on-ice decision.
“If Toronto’s afraid to overturn calls made by the referee, we don’t need Toronto,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy stated flatly.
The Situation Room in Toronto ultimately deemed that Palmieri hindered Merzlikins while in the crease, despite barely being in the blue paint and seemingly giving Merzlikins enough time to reset.
“I think it was f–king embarrassing,” Palmieri fumed postgame. “Couldn’t disagree more with the call.”
“To be honest that’s one of the worst no-goal calls I’ve ever seen,” added Islanders forward Bo Horvat.
There was one more postgame gem delivered by Palmieri, who scored earlier in the game to make it 2-0 Islanders with under two minutes to play in the first period.
“[The referee] said there was contact initiated in the crease,” Palmieri explained, before adding a zinger. “And I guess the goalie needs five minutes to get reset and ready for the shot, and it looked like he couldn’t wait to waive it off.”
Neither team scored in the five-minute overtime, and Adam Fantilli won it for Columbus with the game-deciding shootout goal soon after, stealing two huge points for the Blue Jackets and leaving the Islanders with one, when they believe they earned two.
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3-point result on Long Island not best news for idle Rangers
The overtime outcome was not great for the Rangers and their playoff chances, but it could have been worse; two points for the Islanders and they would’ve passed the Rangers in the Eastern Conference standings.
But, the Blue Jackets’ overtime victory was not that much better of a result for the Rangers. Now, they are just one point behind the Rangers, and by picking up the loser point the Islanders tied the Blueshirts with 74 points. The Blue Jackets and Islanders each have a game in hand on the Rangers.
If the Rangers could’ve scripted the best possible outcome, it would’ve been a Blue Jackets win in regulation. Instead, each of their competitors gained ground and the Islanders are now tied with the Rangers for ninth in the conference, though the Islanders are percentage points ahead.
Keep in mind that the Rangers play the Islanders once more this season, April 10 at UBS Arena. Their season series against the Blue Jackets is complete, the Rangers winning three of four meetings.
The Rangers have lost three of four and are 3-5-2 in their past 10 games. They open a three-game road trip in California against the Loss Angeles Kings on Tuesday. The Kings boast a 25-3-4 record at home this year and have been on fire as of late, winning eight of their past nine games.
After that are more favorable matchups against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks; the Rangers need to return home with at least four points on the road trip to stay in this wacky wild-card race.
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