The New York Islanders’ game-tying goal held up after a Coach’s Challenge from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Isles defenseman Nick Leddy passed the puck to Josh Bailey, posted on the boards at the blue line. As he entered the zone, Brock Nelson was skating hard to get onside. The Islanders kept the pressure on in the offensive zone, leading to a goal 28 seconds later by Jean-Gabriel Pageau that knotted things up at 3-3.
The zone entry happened right in front of veteran linesman Greg Devorski, who ruled it onside at the time.
Nonetheless, Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault challenged the call. The Flyers did not challenge any offside goals during the regular season.
Rule 83 covers offside plays:
A player is off-side when both skates are completely over the leading edge of the blue line involved in the play.
A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line…
The other consideration is when, precisely, the puck crossed the line. An offside is only evaluated at the moment the puck completely crosses the blueline.
The review would come down to the position of Brock Nelson’s skates. Unlike Tampa’s Brayden Point on Tuesday, Nelson was hustling.
Devorski and linesman Matt MacPherson reviewed the play with the NHL’s Situation Room.
From the NHL:
It was determined that New York’s Brock Nelson legally tagged up at the blue line prior to Josh Bailey playing the puck in the offensive zone.
Not only was the game tied, but the Flyers found themselves shorthanded for the remainder of regulation. Philadelphia was charged with a bench minor for delay of game for the failed challenge.
