The Nashville Predators won the first Coach’s Challenge of 2026-27 after they successfully challenged for goaltender interference on Thursday night, erasing what would have been a 3-0 Minnesota lead in the first period of their season opener at Bridgestone Arena.
At 15:05 of the opening period, former Preds draft pick Yakov Trenin beat Juuse Saros over the shoulder with a long shot after a defensive-zone turnover. The goal was called good on the ice, but Nashville challenged, contending that Ryan Hartman had interfered with Saros on the play.
Toronto agreed. Video review determined that Hartman’s presence in the crease impaired Saros’ ability to play his position prior to the goal, and the call on the ice was overturned: no goal Minnesota.
Video review determined Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman’s presence in the crease impaired Juuse Saros’ ability to play his position prior to Yakov Trenin’s goal. The decision was made in accordance with Rule 69.1 which states, in part, “Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal.”
This ruling was about positioning, not necessarily contact. The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty reported the Predators challenged thinking Hartman “interfered on the screen” – and the review backed them up. Contact looked to be minor, but Hartman was clearly in the blue paint. Even so, he doesn’t have to actually make contact with the goaltender in the crease; a goal can be disallowed if his positioning prevents the goalie from playing his position.
As always with a challenge, the final decision came from the Situation Room in Toronto, not the on-ice officials.
Andrew Brunette doesn’t challenge often, but he’s usually right when he does. Nashville initiated just five challenges all of last season – 22nd in the league – yet went 4-1 (80%), well above the league-wide 64.8% success rate. Across Brunette’s three seasons in Nashville, the Predators are 16-5 on 21 challenges (76%): 11 offside, 9 interference, and one puck over glass.
The Preds won the challenge, but they lost the game. The Minnesota Wild went on to defeat the Nashville Predators 3-1. Referees for the game were Chris Rooney (#5) and Jake Brenk (#26), with linespersons Ryan Gibbons (#58) and Ben O’Quinn (#91).
Keep track of all the NHL Coach’s Challenges for 2026-27:
