Leafs pelted with beers by unruly Devils fans in controversial loss

Sportsnet

A Toronto Maple Leafs game is best paired with a few beers, some would suggest.

But not this way.

A trio of disallowed goals sent New Jersey Devils fans over the edge in a game against the Maple Leafs at Prudential Center in Newark on Wednesday night, prompting them to throw beers on the ice and at their opponent.

Devils fans pelted the Maple Leafs with debris, including full cans of beer, after a third goal was disallowed at 8:53 of the third period. The loss ended New Jersey’s 13-game winning streak.

“I mean, it’s full beers. It’s dangerous,” Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner said after the affair. “We’re not looking for that. We’re not seeing it coming. Dodged a couple. I mean, it got really dangerous again at the end. It’s a dangerous thing. I don’t know [why] it’s our fault. It’s not like they’re throwing it just for joy. They’re throwing it to try and hit us. It’s the first I’ve ever seen. It’s insane.”

The Devils fans are NOT happy after the disallowed goal 👀

The Maple Leafs have headed to the locker room after fans littered the ice with items pic.twitter.com/MQXPxKx4X5

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 24, 2022

The Devils had their first goal disallowed at 7:35 of the first period when Jonas Siegenthaler’s shot from the point deflected behind starter Matt Murray and into the back of the cage. Video review determined Nathan Bastian interfered with Murray on the play.

“I mean, I watched it. He’s in the crease. Murr can’t kick off,” Marner said. “There’s 800 officials in Toronto watching that and seeing it. They’re the ones calling it.”

A second goal was disallowed at 4:52 of the second period when Murray was bumped by New Jersey forward Tomas Tatar after playing the puck.

The third came in the third period, when Devils forward Erik Haula kicked a rebound on his own initial shot off Leafs forward Nick Robinson and in.

“I thought it was kicked, yeah, but you never know with these things,” Murray said. “Those net-front scrambles, there’s a lot of stuff going on so you’re never really 100% sure.”

The @NJDevils have had THREE goals called off tonight. 😳 pic.twitter.com/Vvabm6RPLi

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 24, 2022

The last disallowed goal triggered a throwing of various objects, including hats, until beers started raining down on the ice by the New Jersey faithful, and sent Toronto into the locker room in a duck-and-cover protection move.

It prompted a lengthy delay in the game.

“I mean, I understand why they were frustrated at that point,” Murray said. “Three disallowed goals is uncommon. But I think that’s pretty dangerous, throwing full beer cans like that. I don’t think that’s ever the way to go about things.”

Another win for the Devils would’ve been a franchise record.

They suffered an eventual 2-1 loss instead.

“I’ve been through that experience a few other times…maybe not to that degree… but that one felt like it could get dangerous, that’s why we decided to leave the bench for a little bit,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe told media postgame.

“Obviously it got a little hairy there in the third period with the atmosphere, but it was an intense atmosphere right from the start of the game. That’s the most engaged I’ve seen fans here in New Jersey in my time in the league, so you can tell they’re really excited about this team and the run they’ve been on. I thought our guys did well.”

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