Referee Jake Brenk is off to a busy start this season. He called the first penalty of 2023-24 – on Nick Perbix – and handed out the campaign’s first penalty shot.
Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn was whistled for holding after he wrapped an arm around Tampa’s Brandon Hagel. Since the Bolts winger was in the attacking zone with no one else between him and the goaltender, and was fouled from behind, the ref issued a penalty shot.
The NHL has specific criteria for a penalty shot to be handed out. From Rule 57.3:
(i) The infraction must have taken place in the neutral or attacking zone (i.e. over the puck carrier’s own blue line)
(ii) The infraction must have been committed from behind.
(iii) The player in possession and control (or, in the judgment of the Referee, the player clearly would have obtained possession and control of the puck) must have been denied a reasonable chance to score. The fact that the player got a shot off does not automatically eliminate this play from the penalty shot consideration criteria. If the infraction was from behind and the player was denied a “more” reasonable scoring opportunity due to the infraction, then the penalty shot should still be awarded.
(iv) The player in possession and control (or, in the judgment of the Referee, the player clearly would have obtained possession and control) must have had no opposing player between himself and the goalkeeper.
Hagel took advantage of the second chance and snapped a wrister stick-side to give the Lightning a 3-2 lead.
Tampa Bay went on to win the game 5-3. Referees were Chris Rooney (#5) and Jake Brenk (#26), with linespersons Shandor Alphonso (#52) and David Brisebois (#96).
