An NHL coach has to pick and choose his battles. Even more so when it comes to criticizing the officiating during a game. But a bad call caused Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau to reach his boiling point and he just couldn't contain his anger any longer.
The Ducks fiery bench boss flipped his lid when forward Matt Beleskey‘s apparent tying goal midway through the third period was negated because Andrew Cogliano was said to have been interfering with the goalie in the crease.
It was a terrible call and one that is rarely called anymore but for some reason the officials deciding now was the time to dust off the rule book and wave off the goal.
Here is the play. Cogliano did not even make contact with Boston's Marty Turco and from the netminders response he clearly did think he was interfered with. he didn't even raise an arm in protest. To me that tell the biggest story.
You can see in the video that Boudreau was ready to run onto the ice before thinking better of it. He angrily gestured to the referee to give him an explanation. When asked what referee Rob Martell told him, Boudreau defiantly snapped back, “Well, I didn’t really give him much of a chance to say too much. I was ready to hit him.”
Boudreau also added, “I don’t know. I give up trying to figure these guys out. What do you want me to say? It was a (bad) call. There was no explanation given to me. None. It cost us the game.” You tell em Bruce!
The referees sighted NHL rule number 69.1 for helping them come to a decision. The rule states...
69.1 Interference on the Goalkeeper - This rule is based on the premise that an attacking player’s position, whether inside or outside the crease, should not, by itself, determine whether a goal should be allowed or disallowed. In other words, goals scored while attacking players are standing in the crease may, in appropriate circumstances be allowed. Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease. Incidental contact with a goalkeeper will be permitted, and resulting goals allowed, when such contact is initiated outside of the goal crease, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact. The rule will be enforced exclusively in accordance with the on-ice judgment of the Referee(s), and not by means of video replay or review.
For purposes of this rule, “contact,” whether incidental or otherwise, shall mean any contact that is made between or among a goalkeeper and attacking player(s), whether by means of a stick or any part of the body.
The overriding rationale of this rule is that a goalkeeper should have the ability to move freely within his goal crease without being hindered by the actions of an attacking player. If an attacking player enters the goal crease and, by his actions, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.
If an attacking player has been pushed, shoved, or fouled by a defending player so as to cause him to come into contact with the goalkeeper, such contact will not be deemed contact initiated by the attacking player for purposes of this rule, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.
If a defending player has been pushed, shoved, or fouled by an attacking player so as to cause the defending player to come into contact with his own goalkeeper, such contact shall be deemed contact initiated by the attacking player for purposes of this rule, and if necessary a penalty assessed to the attacking player and if a goal is scored it would be disallowed.
Boy, that sure was long winded, wasn't it?
The horrific call changed the tide of the game. Had Beleskey's goal stood up, it would have evened the game at two. Instead the Bruins get another goal and cruise to victory.
Teemu Selanne and Lubomir Vsnovsky scored the Ducks goals that counted and Jonas Hiller made 22 saves in his 69th start and appearance, breaking Mighty Ducks legend Guy Hebert’s 1998-99 single-season franchise record for goaltenders in both categories.
It was Turco's 25th win against Anaheim, the most against any other team in his career. The 36-year-old was starting just his second game of the season since leaving his analyst position with the NHL network behind to get back on the ice.
You can't knock the job Boudreau has done since replacing Randy Carlyle back in December, but the pressure of having to win everyday will eventually catch up to you. I don't think the season can end any sooner for the coach or his team.
I won't be surprise if Boudreau is fined. I don't exactly agree with Boudreau's phrasing but I can understand why he is upset. The Officiating has been unusually bad this season and it seems like the Ducks have been on the (bleep) end more often than I'd like. The NHL cannot continue to be this inconsistent. They are not even consistent with their videos reviews.
I think the league needs to send their entire staff of officials to an extensive off-season refresher course in an effort to get them all on the same page. One can only hope the playoffs are a little less awful. Somehow I doubt it.
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