Play Review Ends In Controversy Between The Oilers And Devils

The New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers had a little controversy in the third period when Kailer Yamamoto scored the go-ahead go to give the Oilers a 5-4 lead at the time. New Jersey challenged the play which led to a nine-minute goal review which led to the refs coming forward to say it was unchallengeable play. The Devils would battle back to win the game in overtime 6-5 but that comes with some controversy.

Here is the video replay of the goal.

As you can see on the play, Kailer Yamamoto is tripped up in front of the net which causes a delayed penalty. Dougie Hamilton attempts to bat the puck out of the offensive zone and right there is the first attempt of possession that New Jersey tries to review. Secondly, when Duncan Keith passes over to Leon Draisaitl Jack Hughes briefly bats the puck.

Draisaitl collects the puck and passes over to Yamamoto for the go-ahead goal at the time. Let’s go to the NHL Rulebook for a second.

Rule 38.2 B

Missed Game Stoppage Event in the Offensive Zone Leading to a Goal – A play that results in a “GOAL” call on the ice where the defending team claims that the play should have been stopped by reason of any play occurring in the offensive zone that should have resulted in a play stoppage caused by the attacking team but did not;

Rule 38.8

If a team initiates a Coach’s Challenge for any of the enumerated scenarios in Rule 38.2 above and such Challenge does not result in the original call on the ice being overturned, the team exercising such Challenge shall be assessed a minor penalty (2:00) for delaying the game.

So the Devils attempt a coaching challenge for a missed stoppage of play, except as the rulebook shows that is not a call you can challenge when it comes down to the defensive team in their own zone. The phrasing in rule 38.2 B says that you can only challenge a missed stoppage caused by the attacking team. That phrasing alone makes the play in challengable in the rulebook.

Now the second piece of this is the fact that after nine minutes that was the call. The refs and the war room took that long to make that decision and it ended with no penalty which is what happens when a challenge does not go the way of the challenging team.

If they said the coach’s challenge was wrong Edmonton would have had a power play and could have secured another goal which could have been the difference in this close game that ended in a loss in overtime.