Bruins react to controversial goalie interference review in Game 4 loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
BOSTON — Florida Panthers 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference second-round series was helped by a controversial decision that stunned the home team and its fans.
The Panthers tied the score at 2-2 at 3:41 of the third period when Sam Bennett pounced on a loose puck in the box for a power-play goal. After watching the replay, it was pretty obvious that Bennett crossed Bruins center Charlie Coyle in the backfield, sending him crashing into goalie Jeremy Swayman.
Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery questioned the play for goalie interference and, after a lengthy review, the on-ice call was upheld.
“The fact is, Coyle got pushed into me and I couldn’t play my position,” Swayman said after the game. “I just want to stick to the facts, and the fact is that my own player was pushed towards me by theirs and I couldn’t play my position.”
Swayman reiterated three or four times that he couldn’t play his position. The NHL, in its explanation of the review decision, concluded that Bennett’s actions did not prevent Swayman from playing his position.
Here is the official explanation of the league:
Explanation: Video review supported the on-ice referees’ decision that Florida’s push Sam Bennett in charlie coyle and subsequent contact with Jeremy Swayman It didn’t stop Swayman from playing his position in the box before Bennett’s goal.
You be the judge: Does Swayman look like he’s capable of performing his position in this photo?
Bennett not only pushed Coyle towards his own goalkeeper, but also checked him, which in itself is a penalty. He got away with both, just as he got away with no fine or suspension for his questionable hit on Bruins captain Brad Marchand in Game 3.
“It’s a huge change,” Coyle said of the review decision. “They score, they tie and they get a power play (due to the lost challenge). Those are the changes of the game. We saw something different. They saw something different. There are no other words for that. Whether we agree or not, we have have to get over it.”
The officiating was pretty bad in Game 4, and the outcome could have easily been different if Bennett’s goal had been disallowed.
But the Bruins didn’t generate enough offense either. They have scored two or fewer goals in six of their last seven games, including Sunday night’s loss. They scored two shots on net in the third period of Game 4. The Bruins’ lack of offense is the main reason they are facing a 3-1 series deficit.