Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield showed off some serious soccer skills, kicking a puck that deflected off Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin and into the net. Unfortunately, it didn’t count.
From Rule 37.4:
Plays that involve a puck entering the net as a direct result of a “distinct kicking motion” shall be ruled NO GOAL. A “distinct kicking motion,” for purposes of Video Review, is one where the video makes clear that an attacking Player has deliberately propelled the puck with a kick of his foot or skate and the puck subsequently enters the net.
A goal cannot be scored on a play where an attacking Player propels the puck with his skate into the net (even by means of a subsequent deflection off of another Player) using a “distinct kicking motion.”
It doesn’t matter if he was trying to make a pass by kicking the puck to a teammate, or even if he kicked it in the direction of the goal. All that matters is that he kicked it. That’s backed up by Rule 49.2 (i):
A kicked puck that deflects off the body of any player of either team (including the goalkeeper) shall be ruled no goal.
The final decision on the play came from the NHL’s Situation Room.
Officials for the game were referees T.J. Luxmore (#21) and Eric Furlatt (#27), with linespersons Steve Barton (#59) and Jeremy Faucher (#97)
