RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) 鈥� A failed coach鈥檚 challenge by was a momentum-changing moment in on Thursday night.
His Vegas Golden Knights appeared to score with five minutes left in regulation, but referee Jean Hebert waved it off immediately, citing goaltender interference. Hebert announced that he and the other on-ice officials thought Ivan Barbashev pushed Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen to knock the puck into the net.
Tortorella after some deliberation decided to challenge the play, and it did not take long for officials and the on-site NHL situation room to stick with the call on the ice of no goal. The Hurricanes scored on the ensuing power play 25 seconds later and went on to to tie the series.
鈥淚 saw a loose puck in front of Freddie,” Tortorella said. “Our player stabbed it, didn鈥檛 move the goalie and it goes through him into the other side. I鈥檇 challenge it 10 out of 10 times.鈥�
It was purely a video review of goalie interference and had nothing to do with whether the whistle was blown before the puck crossed the goal line.
鈥淭he ruling on the play was goaltender interference,鈥� executive vice president and director of officiating Stephen Walkom told a pool reporter. 鈥淗e waved it (off) immediately. He believed that it was under the goalie, and the Vegas player went after the puck and interfered with the goalie and his ability to freeze the puck and waived it off immediately.鈥�
Mark Jankowski had just tied it for the Hurricanes a few shifts earlier after Logan Stankoven started the comeback from down 2-0. On the opposing bench, Carolina players and coach Rod Brind’Amour were not sure how the review was going to go.
鈥淥bviously, you鈥檙e hoping for the best,鈥� center Sebsastian Aho said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 really control it. I didn鈥檛 have a really good view of it, so I had no clue. So, I was just hoping for the best.鈥�
for goalie interference in Game 1 on Tuesday night because there were too many variables at play. His thinking turned out to be right again.
鈥淚t happened to us in I guess the first game: When it鈥檚 called a goal or no goal on the ice, it better be 100% to challenge it,鈥� Brind’Amour said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the rule we go by. So, they called no goal on the ice, so that鈥檚 kind of how I think it worked out. I don鈥檛 know. I don鈥檛 know what the explanation is. It looked like he had it covered, and then all of a sudden it was in the net. I don鈥檛 know. I haven鈥檛 really looked at it. I was just happy that it went our way.鈥�
Andersen went full extension to make a paddle save to deny Barbashev on the initial shot. A scrum ensued around the crease with players diving at the puck hoping to knock it in or keep it out.
鈥淭o me, it felt like a no goal,鈥� Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said. “Obviously, I鈥檓 on the other side, but I鈥檓 sure they have a different opinion. My gut was like, 鈥楳an, there鈥檚 no way.鈥� What an incredible effort my Freddie just staying with that one and finding a way to get a piece of that. I was flopping everywhere. I didn鈥檛 know what was going on. Freddy just stuck with it. The guy鈥檚 an absolute animal. That was a pretty crazy play and obviously a game-changer for us.鈥�
The punishment for a failed coach’s challenge is a two-minute minor penalty. Vegas was 4 for 4 on the penalty kill against Carolina’s power play to that point in the series.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure how they go about their thought process, Brind’Amour said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e obviously killed all the penalties. That鈥檚 a big one.鈥�
Staal made sure the Golden Knights didn’t kill this one, tipping defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere’s point shot in for just the Hurricanes’ eighth power play goal of the playoffs. Seth Jarvis made it nine when he scored in overtime, though it may have never gotten to that point had Tortorella not challenged.
鈥淵ou鈥檇 like to make them pay every time,” Aho said. “It鈥檚 a big swing because the other option is going down a goal. But other than that, every time you get a power play, you鈥檙e trying to score. So, it鈥檚 not that different, but obviously it was a big swing.鈥�
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