The Seattle Kraken recently challenged a goal that was disallowed in their game 4 loss against the Vegas Golden Knights. The goal was disallowed due to goaltender interference, sparking a debate about the NHL’s goaltender interference rules.
The goal in question was scored by Kraken forward, J.T. Brown, who was pushed into the net by Vegas’s William Carrier. The referees immediately waved off the goal, citing goaltender interference. The Kraken challenged the call and after a lengthy review, the call was upheld.
The debate surrounding this play is centered around whether or not Carrier’s contact with Brown constituted goaltender interference. According to the NHL’s rulebook, “Goaltender interference is a foul that occurs when a player makes contact with a goaltender while the goaltender is in his crease or in the act of playing the puck outside his crease.”
The Kraken argued that Carrier’s contact with Brown was incidental and did not constitute goaltender interference. They argued that Brown was pushed into the net by Carrier, but that Carrier’s contact with Brown was not intentional and therefore should not be considered interference.
The NHL disagreed and upheld the call on the ice. The league cited Carrier’s contact with Brown as intentional and argued that it constituted goaltender interference. The league also noted that Brown had already released the puck before he was pushed into the net, which further solidified their decision to uphold the call.
The debate surrounding this play has sparked a larger discussion about the NHL’s goaltender interference rules. Many fans and analysts have argued that the rules are too vague and open to interpretation, making it difficult for referees to make consistent calls. Others have argued that the rules should be more specific and clear-cut, so that referees can make more consistent decisions.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it is clear that the debate surrounding this play has sparked an important discussion about the NHL’s goaltender interference rules. It remains to be seen how the league will address this issue, but one thing is certain: the Kraken’s challenge has opened up an important dialogue about goaltender interference in the NHL.
