It’s not every day that referees in the NHL change their decisions on the ice. If they decide, especially for a penalty, they rarely have a reason even to discuss it. But last night, during the game between Toronto Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils, the referees pulled back their decision, and they got a lot of praise.
Mark Giordano made his debut for the Maple Leafs after being traded from the Seattle Kraken and impressed by the blueline. But his most noticeable moment was a penalty that didn’t happen.
Early in the third, the 38-year-old was close to a Jersey player who suddenly fell, free on goal. The officials raised their arms for a tripping and sent Giordano to the penalty box but suddenly changed their mind.
Giordano was already sitting down as they skated to him after a short conference and let him out of the penalty box. On TV, the referees received a lot of praise for their decision, and it’s no doubt that it was the right one.
Should we see this more often in the NHL?
