NHL playoffs 2019: Avalanche's game-tying goal controversially overturned in Game 7 loss to Sharks

Thomas Lott

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NHL playoffs 2019: Avalanche's game-tying goal controversially overturned in Game 7 loss to Sharks image

This one could come back to bite the NHL.

The Avalanche thought they had tied up Game 7 against the Sharks, 2-2, when Colin Wilson scored on a shot in the second period. They celebrated and everything.

But, seconds later, the call was reviewed and overturned for an offsides call on Gabriel Landeskog.

What made matters worse was the Sharks turned around and scored a goal just minutes later to go up 3-1 in the second period and would ultimately win 3-2.

The Avalanche were miffed and it's not hard to understand why, as the goal would have obviously tied the game, but also because the call itself for offsides may have been wrong.

Landeskog was called for offsides when he was behind the play, and out of it, as he was heading to the bench. And, as Yahoo Sports points out, if any call should have been made, it must have been too many men on the ice.

So the ruling that was given may have actually been wrong.

Coach Jared Bednar was confused by the call when addressing it with NBC Sports after the play.

"He said Landeskog was still on the ice, he's standing right at the bench getting ready to make a change and they have him standing in the zone when the puck goes in," he said. "But I have him touching the line before (Nathan) MacKinnon enters which would be a tag out rule for me so I don't know."

Landeskog decided to bear the brunt of the blame after the loss instead of targeting the officials.

"It's a clumsy mistake, you know? 'Get off the ice.' If I could have done something different on that play, I would have jumped the boards a lot quicker," he said (via ESPN.com).

"Hopefully, the linesmen got it right. I haven't been in that position at all, to have to make that call in a Game 7. It's a tough job. It's a tough call to make. Hopefully, they got it right. I'll take the blame for that. Ultimately, it's my skates on the ice. But there was a lot more to the game than that."

Update: The rule in question for this particular instance is 83.3, and according to that rule (via TSN), "Landeskog either had to tag up and clear the offensive zone before any teammates re-entered on the delay or he had to get both feet off the ice on to bench. One on bench and one on ice sealed disallowed goal fate."

Another update: The rule mentioned above is for a delayed offsides penalty, so it's unclear if it applies to this instance. 

One more update: Here is the official explanation for the ruling on the play: "After reviewing all available replays and consulting with the Linesman, the Situaion Room determined that Gabriel Landeskog did not legally tag up at the blue line prior to the puck entering the offensive zone. The decision was made in accordance to Rule 83.3 (i), 'All players of the offending team clear the zone at the same instant (skate contact with the blue line) permitting attacking players to re-enter the attacking zone…'

"Therefore, the original call is overturned — no goal Colorado Avalanche."

Bednar did not want to discuss the call after the game.

"I'm not going to talk about the officiating or this and that," he said, via CBS Denver. "Our season's over, so it's tough and we set high expectations for ourselves and we came up a little bit short."

Thomas Lott