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Goaltender interference has become the NHL equivalent of a catch in the NFL.
I say this only because I am now confident in telling you that I have legitimately no clue how the hell the powers that be are going to rule such a happening when challenged.
The good (I guess?) news: neither do the players paid to play the game!
Deadlocked in a 3-3 tie with less than a minute and a half remaining in the third period, Zach Hyman clearly pushed Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy into Tuukka Rask. The spill took Rask out of the play for a moment, and by the time he successfully laterally pushed off his right post to defend the vacated left side of his cage, Ron Hainsey’s shot from the point was already well into the B's net.
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy challenged the call, and after a lengthy review and countless replays that told you legitimately nothing (well, your eyes told you a whole lotta something, but I think we’ve all learned that that means nothing in these situations), the call stood. Because of course.
“I don’t know what goaltender interference is anymore,” a frustrated McAvoy, finishing with four hits and five blocked shots in 23:11 of play, said after the loss. “I’m not alone.”
Rask, who made 32 stops in the losing effort, was pretty blunt when talking about it, by all means saying that he doesn’t want to see games ended by ‘shitty goals’ like that.
He was also confident that he stops that shot if he’s not interfered with, noting that he had been seeing pucks for 59 minutes prior to the Hainsey, insinuating that it’s a nothing shot if he’s physically able to get to the other side of his crease without an obstruction created by the non-call.
Boston’s frustration comes just a week after Edmonton’s Cam Talbot went on a profanity-laced tirade against the inconsistencies of the league’s goaltender interference rulings, and with these issues obviously hitting a league-wide boiling point.
Worst of all, this robbed us of a truly satisfying finish to what was another stellar head-to-head meeting between the B’s and Leafs, with the teams trading goals and chances for the full 60. But fortunately for the sake of our entertainment, these teams seemed primed for a first or second-round head-to-head sometime this spring.
This and that… who am I kidding, this is all about Rick Nash
- One of my favorite things in sports happened tonight -- In the middle of the game, the team (the Bruins) playing was hot on the heels of a trade target (the Rangers’ Rick Nash). Both Elliotte Friedman and Darren Dreger had nearly simultaneous tweets noting Boston’s push for Nash, and by midnight, it was reported that the Bruins and Ranger have the framework of a deal seemingly set in place.
- But the Bruins most likely need a third team to step in and help take care of some of the necessary cap maneuvering needed to make this deal work from Boston’s point of view. In the final year of a deal that comes with a $7.8 million cap hit, even Nash’s pro-rated salary will require the Bruins to move nearly $6 million in cap hits to make a deal work without any sort of salary retention from the Rangers or help from a third party. For a Bruins team cognizant of the chemistry they’ve built thus far, that’s going to be a tough pill to swallow, and why they want to see as much juggling as possible.
- It’s believed the Bruins are trying to see if they can get somebody to take the Matt Beleskey contract on to help create some of that necessary cap space. Beleskey, waived in December and currently skating for the P-Bruins (he has four goals and six points in 21 AHL games to date), is carrying a $3.8 million cap hit for the next two seasons after this year. Might be a tough sell to most.
- As for the price the B’s will pay for the veteran Nash, TSN’s Bob McKenzie believes it will cost the Bruins a first-round pick and one of the club’s ‘solid prospects’ in the pipeline. Team USA standout Ryan Donato, for those working themselves into a frenzy, is not that prospect. Wouldn’t be shocked to see Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson or Ryan Lindgren head the other way. Trent Frederic is a name that you’ve heard, but I have to think the Bruins would be extremely reluctant to move him for a rental.
- The thing I’m sneaky excited about this deal potentially going through? Seeing Ril. Nash and Ric. Nash on some jerseys. Hilariously absurd. Just let ‘em wear their first and last names.
- Nash may not be the piece that pushes the Bruins to a Stanley Cup, but it’s clear that the Bruins need to do something to address their second line, especially after another night that saw the ice time for both Jake DeBrusk and Ryan Spooner completely plummet into an abyss. Also: If the East becomes an arm race (like it’s shaping up to be), extra reinforcements are more than needed.
- Nash is coming to Boston, and that's great... but I remember the Jarome Iginla drama of 2013. Can't wait to see this trade nixed and watch Nash traded to the Penguins in exchange for Jim Rutherford's spare reading glasses and some old Rico Fata shirts.
- One last nonsensical note: If this trade does indeed happen, it will be the first time since 1975 that the Bruins and Rangers made multiple trades with one another in the same season. The last time it happened, Phil Esposito was sent to the Blueshirts in exchange for Brad Park and Jean Ratelle.
Up next
The Bruins complete this five-game road swing with a Sunday head-to-head with the Sabres. Anton Khudobin gets the start in the Boston crease, and Nick Holden could make his B’s debut.
Ty Anderson is the Boston Bruins beat writer for WEEI.com, and has been covering the National Hockey League for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010. He can be heard on the Saturday Skate program on 93.7 WEEI (Boston), and has been part of the Boston Chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Contact him on Twitter or send him an email at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com.
Boston Bruins Blogger •Bruins Feature Columnist • 
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