Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon was frustrated after he felt the referees missed a tripping call that led to a Seattle Kraken goal during Game 5.
MacKinnon was carrying the puck along the boards in the attacking zone when he was tripped up by Seattle defenseman Will Borgen. As he stopped hard in an attempt to change directions and keep up, the blueliner’s right skate appeared to contact MacKinnon’s left, sending him sprawling to the ice. As Kraken forward Matty Beniers recovered the puck and moved the play up ice, MacKinnon slammed his stick against the glass in frustration.
That brief protest delayed MacKinnon’s return to the bench for a line change, which, in turn, prevented replacement center J.T. Compher from joining the play and providing defensive coverage. He entered the Avs zone just as Seattle Kraken forward Tye Kartye scored the go-ahead goal.
Rule 57 covers trippping:
A player shall not place the stick, knee, foot, arm, hand or elbow in such a manner that causes his opponent to trip or fall.
Accidental trips which occur simultaneously with a completed play will not be penalized. Accidental trips occurring simultaneously with or after a stoppage of play will not be penalized.
A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player who shall place his stick or any portion of his body in such a manner that it shall cause his opponent to trip and fall.
MacKinnon discussed the penalty non-call after the game.
“I get five feet on a guy and he takes my feet out,” said MacKinnon. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. It’s not 1975; I feel like that’s a trip.”
MacKinnon, implying that the penalty standards were a bit looser in decades past, acknowledged responsibility for his uncharacteristic outbust.
“I’ve got to keep my cool there better,” MacKinnon said. “I can’t get upset. It’s on me there.”
The Seattle Kraken went on to win the game 3-2, putting them one win away from eliminating the Avs and moving on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Referees were Dan O’Rourke (#9) and T.J. Luxmore (#21), with linesmen Shandor Alphonso (#52) and Bevan Mills (#53).
