Goalie Interference

By : Mike Rifkin 

Prior to the 2015-16 season the NHL incorporated challenges (like the NFL ) for two specific plays offsides and Goaltender Interference. While both were interesting when they first came into play, now they come marred with controversy and fans questioning both. Offsides is pretty clear cut, but goalie interference is where fans get confused. 

Goaltender interference is defined as when an opposing player initiates contact with a goalie, whether intentionally or unintentionally and therefore impairing the goalie’s ability to move freely. 

During last Wednesday’s Devils Maple Leafs game, the Devils had two goals taken away on goalie interference challenges. On one play Tomas Tatar ran over goalie Matt Murray who was out to play the puck. The other one was on a shot from the point but the refs deemed the presence of Nathan Bastian in the crease disrupted Murray from making the save. In Friday’s Bruins Hurricanes game the Bruins originally had a goal waved off, but after they challenged the call was overturned. Last year in Game one of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs the Rangers lost a goal when Kappo Kakko looked like he got pushed into the goalie, but the refs overturned the goal and the Penguins eventually won the game. 

So the question becomes how can we fix the rule itself, because all the fans want is consistency. Maybe have the crease become a trapezoid area for skaters, unless the puck is loose. Have the Situation Room in Toronto handle the calls. I know the refs are paid to make the calls, but the Situation Room can piece together all the images in one video to determine whether it’s a goal or not. I think the coaches challenge has confused people even more to a certain extent. I also would like for each television network to get the same shots the Situation Room has, just so the fans understand what is going on. At the end of the day everyone wants the calls to be correct, but at the same time having the calls explained would also benefit the game a lot.