Goalie interference has been a major discussion topic during this year’s NHL Playoffs, and the Florida Panthers have been involved in several controversial calls.
During their series against the Boston Bruins, the Panthers got a goal allowed after Sam Bennett cross-checked a Boston player into Jeremy Swayman, but the goal on the ice stood despite a coach’s challenge from Boston.
Just two days later, Florida challenged a goal from Bruins forward Danton Heinen after he may have had his stick on Sergei Bobrovsky’s right pad.
But after review, officials announced that it was a good goal.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final between the Panthers and the New York Rangers, another controversial goalie interference was called, and fans had mixed opinions about it.
The Florida Panthers went up 2-0 on an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, but as it turned out, Ryan Lomberg was in the crease as the puck was on its way to the goal.
Lomberg was cross-checked by Rangers’ Ryan Lindgren into Igor Shesterkin, but the Rangers decided to challenge it for goalie interference.
They believed that Lomberg had made contact with Shesterkin before the cross-check, and after review, the goal was overturned, and the game was back 1-0 for Florida.
After the goal review and the decision from the referees, many took to social media to share their views. And it was mixed.
Many believed that although Lomberg was in the crease, it was Lindgren’s cross-check that interfered with Shesterkin.
P.K. Subban was one of them, as he shared a GIF on his Twitter that expressed disappointment over the call. Paul Bissonnette was also disappointed.
”Awful call. Another one missed. I knew the Rangers were going to get an insane call their way. He’s pushed into him,” he said on X.
Overall, the majority of people thought the call was correct, but a fair share also believed that Lindgren dodged one.
”Need to have a goal called back? Cross-check the opponent into your own goalie!” one fan said on social media.
