The Stanley Cup Playoffs proceed to be marred by controversial calls made by the on-ice officers and the Scenario Room in Toronto. Whether or not it’s a missed penalty or a controversial objective, the officers are taking middle stage, and the main focus actually must be on the gamers and the video games themselves. This time, Alexander Petrovic and the Dallas Stars had been in the course of all of it.
Sadly, this has been a pattern all season. It additionally dates again to final season when it got here to goalie interference. Nonetheless, this time, the rulebook is being scrutinized much more due to the ruling in Recreation 3 of Spherical 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets.
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Early into the third interval, with the sport tied at 2-2, Petrovic kicked the puck in direction of the online on a scramble close to Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The puck then hit Hellebuyck’s stick, and he tried to go after it, stopping the puck from getting into the online. Nonetheless, Hellebuyck was unsuccessful.
Now, the decision on the ice by the official on the objective line was objective. That issue shall be necessary afterward, because the NHL Scenario Room can overturn the decision on the ice if there’s an abundance of proof or indeniable proof to take action, or else they go along with the decision on the ice.
At first, there was confusion on the ice as this was not a problem by Jets head coach Scott Arniel. The officers went to the scorer’s desk because the evaluate got here from the Scenario Room in Toronto. They had been trying to see if Petrovic kicked the puck on web. It was a prolonged delay because the in-arena DJ placed on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Freebird. That may be a 9:10 music. That’s how lengthy the officers and Scenario Room took to determine the decision on the ice was proper, and it was objective.
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Nonetheless, the reason had everybody scratching their heads and sending confusion all through all the NHL.
The referee obtained on the mic and stated that whereas Alexander Petrovic kicked the puck in direction of the online, Connor Hellebuyck made a play on the puck and propelled it into the online, thus making it objective. Even the NHL Scenario Room backed the on-ice officers’ name of name.
“The Scenario Room initiated a video evaluate to additional study if Alexander Petrovic kicked the puck into the Winnipeg web. Video was then used to find out if the puck made contact with Petrovic’s stick previous to it getting into the online. After taking a look at all out there replays, video evaluate supported the Referee’s name on the ice that Connor Hellebuyck propelled the puck into his personal web.”
Quickly after, everybody went to the NHL Rulebook to see if the phrase “propelled” was in it and to lookup the rule about targets being disallowed due to a definite kicking movement. Clearly, the puck deflected off Hellebuyck’s stick and into the online, and in accordance with the principles, if a puck that’s kicked on web and hits the goalie’s stick and goes in doesn’t depend.
Ref clarification: “The Winnipeg goalie places the puck into his personal web after a kick.”
Hmm… Appears like they’re saying it WAS a kick that didn’t simply DEFLECT however that Hellebuyck’s actions put it into the online.
Unsure about that based mostly on part ii under: https://t.co/7QYLVAQaPW
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) Could 11, 2025
There have been a number of guidelines in place, because the NHL felt underneath Rule 49.2, and if a goalie places a kicked puck into their very own web, it could actually depend. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet clarified the ruling and defined why the evaluate took so lengthy due to the variety of requested replays. To not point out, the On-Ice Officers felt strongly that the puck was not illegally kicked in. Additionally they felt that if it was kicked, Hellebuyck “propelled it in” as a substitute of deflecting it in.
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Nonetheless, the phrase “propelled” doesn’t seem within the NHL Rulebook. Many are questioning how the principles are being interpreted by not solely the Scenario Room but additionally the on-ice officers. Whereas there isn’t any proof that playing or betting performed a task on this name, the integrity of the game may come into query.
Should you return to the Artturi Lehkonen objective in Recreation 1 of Spherical 1, when the Colorado Avalanche took on the Dallas Stars. Regardless of Lehkonen falling off steadiness, his left leg makes a soccer-style kicking movement on the puck to propel it into the online.
Artturi Lehkonen simply FLUNG the puck off his skate and into the online with out kicking it ? pic.twitter.com/25wwwQBZMy
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 20, 2025
Regardless of the referees saying no intent, you’ll be able to see this was a kicking movement. Nonetheless, this objective stood out just like the Alexander Petrovic objective. Much like the Lehkonen objective, should you ask the coaches concerning the Petrovic objective, one will say it was objective, and the opposite will say it was the flawed name, as we noticed with Scott Arniel and Pete DeBoer post-game.
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That was a giant second as a result of the Winnipeg Jets unravelled after enjoying street sport. Mikko Rantanen continues his scorching streak and scored moments later to provide the Stars a 4-2 lead they didn’t look again on.
With increasingly calls underneath scrutiny, social media doesn’t assist the trigger; nonetheless, watching the video games, you’ll be able to see one thing is off this season. Whereas the NHL will at all times again their officers, it is perhaps time to place them in entrance of the microphones to elucidate their calls as a substitute of individuals guessing.
However bear in mind, as beforehand talked about, the Scenario Room will go along with the decision on the ice if there isn’t an abundance of proof to overturn it. Alexander Petrovic’s objective has sparked controversy and made folks query the rulebook. The controversy will rage on whether or not the NHL obtained the decision proper, however one factor is for certain: everyone seems to be left dazed and confused.
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