Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
NHL fans react as Kris Letang appears to criticize referees online
Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
NHL fans are reacting online after Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang appeared to be criticizing the referees after yesterday's controversy involving a goaltender interference call.
The NHL Department of Player Safety has come under fire recently for only suspending Radko Gudas for five games after he ended Auston Matthews' season with a knee on knee hit.
But now, the Pittsburgh Penguins are taking aim at the NHL for a different reason because of a controversial play yesterday against the Winnipeg Jets.
Pittsburgh was naturally furious after a goal from Winnipeg's Morgan Barron, who made contact with defenseman Erik Karlsson, who then fell into goalie Arturs Silovs, was allowed to count.
Penguins coach Dan Muse challenged the ruling for goalie interference, but lost the challenge, and not only did the goal stand but Pittsburgh then had to kill a delay of game penalty.
In response, the Penguins tweeted out the official rule from the rulebook saying that by the letter of the law, the goal should have been disallowed.
If a defending player has been pushed, shoved, or fouled by an attacker as so to cause the defending player to come in contact with his own goalkeeper, such contact shall be deemed contact initiated by the attacking player for purposes of this rule, and necessary a penalty assessed to the attacking player and if a goal is scored it would be disallowed. - NHL Rule 69.1
Now, they took things a step further when defenseman Kris Letang liked the post on Instagram, showing he clearly agrees with his team tweeting out the rule.
The NHL Is In The Crosshairs Of Scrutiny
There might not be a more controversial off-ice figure in the NHL right now than George Parros, who is the head of the NHL Department of Player Safety because of his inconsistent rulings regarding headshots.
Speaking of inconsistency, fans have been frustrated of late because of the inconsistency of goalie interference calls when rules seem to change from one day to the next.
Letang is clearly among them, as were the Penguins yesterday as a whole.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Erik Karlsson calling Carolina elite confirms Penguins still chase contenders
Erik Karlsson calling Carolina elite confirms Penguins still chase contenders
| POLL | ||
MARS 22|83 ANSWERS NHL fans react as Kris Letang appears to criticize referees online Did the NHL get it wrong with yesterday's goalie interference call? | ||
| Yes | 74 | 89.2 % |
| No | 9 | 10.8 % |
| List of polls | ||