The Vegas Golden Knights had a goal waved off for goaltender interference.  Vegas tried – and failed – to overturn the call on the ice with a Coach’s Challenge.

 

 

Tuch backed into the goal crease, positioning himself for a deflection and to screen goaltender Cam Talbot.   Defenseman Matt Dumba was positioned in front of Tuch, appearing to block him from exiting the blue paint.

“[The referees] were yelling at him while he was in the crease the entire time,” said Talbot.

Tuch held his ground. While Dumba maintained body contact, Tuch chose not to seek an alternate exit.

“I could even hear [the referee] yelling from the corner to get out of the blue,” said Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno.

Chandler Stephenson’s shot made it past Cam Talbot, tying the game at 1-1.  At least it appeared to, until referees Gord Dwyer and TJ Luxmore waved off the goal.

From Rule 69.3:

If a goalkeeper, in the act of establishing his position within his goal crease, initiates contact with an attacking player who is in the goal crease, and this results in an impairment of the goalkeeper’s ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.

If, after any contact by a goalkeeper who is attempting to establish position in his goal crease, the attacking player does not immediately vacate his current position in the goal crease (i.e. give ground to the goalkeeper), and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed. In all such cases, whether or not a goal is scored, the attacking player will
receive a minor penalty for goalkeeper interference.

If an attacking player establishes a significant position within the goal crease, so as to obstruct the goalkeeper’s vision and impair his ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.

For this purpose, a player “establishes a significant position within the crease” when, in the Referee’s judgment, his body, or a substantial portion thereof, is within the goal crease for more than an  instantaneous period of time.

Vegas challenged the play, charging that there was no goaltender interference on the play, in hopes the goal would be allowed to stand.

No such luck.  The NHL’s Situation Room confirmed the officials’ call on the ice.  No goal Vegas.

“If that one stood, I probably wouldn’t be here right now,” said Talbot after the game. “I probably would just be getting fined.”

With the goal disallowed, the score reverted to the 1-0 Minnesota lead.

The failed challenge also gave the Wild a power play, which they converted to take a 2-0 lead in the pivotal Game 6, which they went on to win 3-0.

Vegas leads all team this postseason with three Coach’s Challenges; two for goaltender interference and one for offside.  DeBoer and team were 2-0 on playoff challenges coming into Game 6; they were 0-for-2 in the regular season.  Unfortunately, the Golden Knights lost the challenge and the game.

Game 7 is Friday in Vegas.