Asking what a goal is in the NHL nowadays feels like as much a philosophical question as to whether a puck crossed the goal line or not, and every game it seems like there's at least one very close call.
On Thursday night though, after feeling they got hosed earlier in the series, the Pittsburgh Penguins came out on the right side of a goal review.
After a play was originally ruled 'no goal' on the ice, a quick review overturned that decision, ruling a rebound shot by the Penguins Evgeni Malkin did in fact cross the goal line.
IT'S OFFICIAL... AGAIN! GOAL! MALKIN!
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 4, 2018
Hornqvist and Kessel with the helpers. 2-1. pic.twitter.com/4YVltesnc9
The sequence began with the Penguins on the power play, working the puck around the offensive zone. Malkin took an initial shot that beat Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby but rang the post and slid across the goalmouth. With the prone puck lying in the crease, Malkin crashed the net, diving and pushing the rebound back toward the empty net. A prone Holtby had his blocker on the ice, and stopped the puck from entering the back of the net, but the question remained as to if it entirely crossed the goal line.
Everyone can para-relax ... we've got a good goal!
— Sporting News Canada (@sportingnewsca) May 4, 2018
After further review, Malkin scores and the #Penguins go up 2-1 on the #Caps. Coach's challenge coming now from Washington for goaltender interference. pic.twitter.com/Rg1KKcQwR5
The referees quickly huddled up though and reviewed the play, a quick process that helped overturn the call.
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This followed an incredibly close call in Game 2, when Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist appeared to score when his stuff attempt looked like it beat Holtby. But the ruling on the ice of 'no goal' was upheld during a video review. One of the issues with many of the television replays has to do with parallax angles, making it at times look like there is space between the puck and the goal line from a head-on angle when in fact the puck is actually sitting on the line when seen in tight from the overhead (often the most conclusive angle).
Photo of puck in the net, as distributed by @NHL: pic.twitter.com/9o3h32WqED
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 4, 2018
Capitals head coach Barry Trotz challenged Malkin's goal after the new ruling was made for goaltender interference, but the new call on the ice stood.
Malkin, who missed the first two games of this series with a lower-body injury, now has a goal and an assist in his two games in the second round.