LAS VEGAS — To challenge for goaltender interference or not to challenge for goaltender interference — that is the question that the New York Islanders faced twice on Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.
At 18:56 of the second, Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore shimmied to the front of the net before pushing the puck and Ilya Sorokin’s right pad into the goal:
The Islanders took a good-hard look at it, but chose not to challenge.
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“It was a tough call,” Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said postgame. “I mean, I think part of us wanted to challenge it, but at the same time, I mean, we felt like the puck was loose, and it was like a loose puck. He definitely pushed the pad. There’s no doubt about that, but we thought it was a loose puck, so that’s why we didn’t do it.”
Here’s what Sorokin said postgame:
“Yeah, I feel [my pad was pushed in there]. I think it was 50/50,” Sorokin said. “Because I watched the review in the game, and I feel it’s an insane moment, puck goes in the net.”
Later on in the game, at the 10:45 mark of the third period, Reilly Smith buried the 3-2 go-ahead goal. But, the Islanders did in fact challenge for goaltender interference as Brett Howden pushed Kyle Palmieri into Sorokin, limiting the ability for the star netminder to make a play on the shot.
“I mean, the Hawkeye went down, and I thought the league should have done something about this, and then they should have reviewed themselves and decided if it was a good goal or not,” Roy said. “Rule 69.1 says that when the player pushes an opponent into the goalie…So I don’t know if the writing is it means something anymore, you know, and if doesn’t, if it’s not the case, they have to redo the rule book.”
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One thing about this last challenge is Roy’s confidence in the penalty kill, which is now 10-for-11 on this road trip and 23 for their last 25.
“We have a lot of trust in the way weâ€re killing the penalties right now, and Boughner deserves a lot of credit for working so hard with our guys, and our guys deserve a lot of credit to put a lot of pride into it,†Roy said. “But at the same time, it allows you to take chances. Example, on that challenge call. I mean, if you didnâ€t trust, you would not challenge, but you believe that youâ€re going to kill it.â€
The Islanders ultimately overcame their non-challenge and challenge, winning 4-3 in overtime courtesy of a Jean-Gabriel Pageau shorthanded goal.
They play game five of a seven-game road trip on Friday night against the Utah Mammoth. Puck drop is at 9 PM ET.
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