The Tampa Bay Lightning felt that a missed icing call led to the Dallas Stars’ game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Stars defensman Miro Heiskanen fired the puck in from the far side of the center red line. It rattled around the boards before being played by Dallas forward Tyler Seguin.  Alexander Radulov then collected the puck, passing it cross-ice to Jamie Oleksiak for the eventual goal.

 

 

Under the old icing rule, this would have been no icing, since Dallas touched the puck first.

Rule 81 covers hybrid icing. The second paragraph applies here.

Once the Linesman determines that the puck will cross the goal line, icing is completed upon the determination as to which player (attacking or defending) would first touch the puck. This decision by the Linesman will be made by no later than the instant the first player reaches the end zone faceoff dots with the player’s skate being the determining factor.

Should the puck be shot down the ice in such a manner that it travels around the boards and/or back towards the end zone face-off dots, the same procedure shall be in effect in that the Linesman shall determine within a similar distance as to who will have touched the puck first.

For clarification, the determining factor is which player would first touch the puck, not which player would first reach the end zone faceoff dots.  If the race for the puck is too close to determine by the time the first player reaches the end zone face-off dots, icing shall be called.

Though Tampa’s Victor Hedman was deeper in the zone, the puck was shot in with such force that Seguin was the first to play it.

“It’s a moot point now,” said Lightning head coach Jon Cooper. “You can’t go back and change the call.”

Given the consideration that the linesman may have judged that Seguin would play it first, based on his speed, Hedman’s lack of speed, and the puck’s velocity — which is precisely what happened — it’s tough to say this was a missed call.

Missed icings are not eligible for a Coach’s Challenge for a missed stoppage, nor can they be reviewed by the officials.

In any case, Cooper’s right. You can’t go back and change it.  Game 2 is Monday.

 

Referees for the game were Wes McCauley and Francis Charron. Linesmen were Brad Kovachik and Matt MacPherson.