Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said his players are “heartbroken” because he believes the winner of Nazem Kadri’s overtime in Game 4 shouldn’t have counted.
Cooper asked a question and seemed excited as he talked about the loss, saying it was one of the hardest losses of his career. He then told reporters that he had spoken to them tomorrow before moving away from the podium.
“We’re all in it together, players, coaches, referees, everyone,” Cooper said. “But this one will sting you a lot more than the others … You’ll see what I mean when you see the winning goal.
“It breaks my heart for the players because we still have to play.”
Although Cooper was vague about why he thought the goal shouldn’t have counted, Lightning assistant coach Derek Lalonde later told team broadcaster Dave Randorf that “an interesting change … it was the difference “.
“We’re probably talking about a 50-foot change … it looks pretty bad,” Lalonde added.
The video shows the Avalanche had six players on the ice when Kadri scored the winning goal. Nathan MacKinnon came close to extending the visitors’ lead when he found himself completely unmarked in front of the goal after a pass through the middle, but he lifted the ball over Kadri and it was a little too high and hit the bar.
However, Rule 74.1 (too many men on the ice) reads: “When a player withdraws from the ice surface and is within the five-foot (5 ‘) limit of his players’ bench, his substitute is on the ice. , then the retiring player will be considered out of the ice “. MacKinnon seems to be within that distance when Kadri receives the puck.
Following Cooper’s comments, the NHL released a statement to Stephen Whyno of the AP.
“A penalty for too many men on ice is a summons that can be made by any of the four officers on ice,” the statement said. “After the game, Hockey Operations met with the four referees as usual. In discussing the winning goal, each of the four referees warned that they did not see too many men in the ice situation on the play. .
“This call is not subject to video review by Hockey Ops or ice officials.”
Avalanche members were surprised to hear Cooper’s comments when he was briefed during his own press conferences.
“I’m not sure what (Cooper) was thinking, why he shouldn’t have counted,” Kadri said. “The record hit the bottom of the net, the end of the story.”
“I didn’t feel any confusion,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar added.
More fuel was added to that debate when the NHL handout to reporters in Tampa indicated that six Avalanche skaters were on the ice when the goal was scored. However, one of the players listed was defender Erik Johnson, who after the video review was not on the ice. The NHL corrected the error in the game sheet posted on its website.
ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reported that the NHL believes this error occurred due to the fact that all Avalanche players jumped on the ice in celebration after Kadri scored.
Whether the goal should have counted or not, the Avalanche will have its first chance to get the series and win the Stanley Cup on Friday in Denver.