Explanation given as to why Zuccarello's shootout goal versus Flames counted
The Calgary Flames’ 3-2 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night didn’t come without some controversy.
The Flames battled hard versus the Wild all night long in a back-and-forth affair that could have gone either way. In the end, it was the Wild who were able to walk away with a victory, though many watching the game questioned why a shootout goal scored by Mats Zuccarello was able to stand.
The Minnesota Wild defeated the Calgary Flames thanks to a controversial shootout goal from Mats Zuccarello that came after a poke check from goaltender Dan Vladar. More on the play and rule 24.2: https://t.co/KQZBQJpZvw pic.twitter.com/e6oC6oobx6
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) December 15, 2023
Immediately after the puck went in the net, Flames goaltender Dan Vladar let the referees know he didn’t think the goal should stand. The reason for this was that he made a poke check, which made contact with the puck before Zuccarello was able to regain possession of it. The referees reviewed it briefly before allowing the goal to stand, a decision Vladar disagreed with.
“I thought I hit it, but I’ve gotta go see it,” Vladar said. “In that moment, I was pretty confident that I hit it, and it went back to him and went off his shin pads. I’ve gotta look at it. Obviously the guys with the cameras, they see better than I do.”
While Vladar’s stick certainly did make contact with the puck, the call made by the on-ice officials was the correct one, according to Rule 24 of the NHL.
“The puck must be kept in motion towards the opponent’s goal line, and once it is shot, the play shall be considered complete.
“No goal can be scored on a rebound of any kind (an exception being the puck off the goal post or crossbar, then the goalkeeper and then directly into the goal), and any time the puck crosses the goal line or comes to a complete stop, the shot shall be considered complete.”
What the league is saying in allowing the goal to stand is that they don’t believe there was a rebound from Vladar making contact with the puck, as Zuccarello never shot it to begin with. Though some may disagree, given how quickly the review was, it is clear the NHL believes they made the correct call here.
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