"That is the right call": Hand pass decides game in Flames loss to Leafs
Connor Zary appeared to knot things up at four apiece between the Calgary Flames and the Toronto Maple Leafs last night in the third period.
The rookie sensation was able to find his rebound lying in the crease and made an outstanding effort to put it home. Shortly after the building erupted, however, the Maple Leafs challenged the goal for what they believed was a hand pass off the glove of Blake Coleman moments before Zary scored. After being reviewed, the goal came back, much to the dismay of the Flames fans and players alike. That said, after his team suffered what ended as a 4-3 loss, head coach Ryan Huska seemed to have no issue with the call.
“It hit his hand. What are you going to do?” Huska said. “It’s not really a hand pass, per se, but it hit his hand. They took a long time to look at it, and that is the right call.”
Coleman, who saw a four-game point streak come to an end, didn’t want to discuss it much with reporters.
“I haven’t watched it,” Coleman said. “Honestly, I thought they were looking at somebody else. Just one of those things where you don’t even realize it happened. Obviously, they reviewed it, and it is what it is.”
The Leafs challenged a hand pass on Blake Coleman and were successful.
The Flames goal comes off the board and the Leafs remain in a 4-3 lead in the 3rd period. pic.twitter.com/5ia05jBjQ3
ā TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 19, 2024
A scary moment occurred in the first period of this one, as Martin Pospisil crashed hard into the boards after getting his feet tangled up with Auston Matthews. The 24-year-old seemed to be in a load of trouble lying on the ice before getting helped to his feet and taken down the tunnel thanks to the assistance of his teammates.
Martin Pospisil fell awkwardly into the boards. He was in a lot of pain and needed help getting off the ice.
š„: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/vFmHLd9QDX
ā Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) January 19, 2024
Huska had no update on him after the game, and nothing further has been released since. It is a very scary situation given that the young forward had some serious head injuries early on in his career.
With the loss, the Flames saw a four-game winning streak come to an end. It is the opposite fortune for the Leafs, who were able to put the brakes on a four-game losing skid.
With the loss, the Flames now find themselves three points back of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Their next opportunity to chip away at it will come tomorrow night against their provincial rival Edmonton Oilers, who are the league’s hottest team with 12 straight victories. Puck drop for that one is set for 7 pm MT.
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