Fans absolutely love every time a referee does something out of the ordinary. In Thursday’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the San Jose Sharks, referee Cody Beach waited to announce a good goal—for the most wholesome reason.
Since the NHL started with officials announcing calls on a hot mic, we’ve seen some hilarious moments. Over the years, veteran official Wes McCauley has made it his trademark to give a little extra something to the fans while announcing penalty calls, especially after big fights.
But McCauley isn’t the only entertainer among the NHL referees. We’ve seen more and more viral videos over the years when officials have had fans laughing. On Thursday, we saw another awesome moment between a referee and the fans in attendance – but not because of what was said, but rather because of what wasn’t said.
Cody Beach’s wholesome decision
The Tampa Bay Lightning held a 5-0 lead over the Sharks after the first period of Thursday’s game, and naturally, the atmosphere in the arena was electric. Just 04:16 into the second period, the Lightning scored again to make it a five-goal game. But the Sharks challenged the goalie for an offside.
As the officials reviewed the goal, the Backstreet Boys classic ’I Want It That Way’ was played in the arena. Of course, it led to a huge sing-along, and just as it got to the good part, the officials were ready to announce their call.
But instead of interrupting the singing fans, referee Cody Beach decided to wait just a few seconds to announce it was a good goal, so the fans had time to sing the good part of the song without interruption. It was a wholesome moment, and the video of the referee and the fans went viral, with everyone loving it.
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