NHL coaches' challenges overshadow playoff drama
Several key goals already reversed
The first five days of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs have produced some unexpected starts, like the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators each pinching a pair of wins on the road to take the early upper hand in their respective series against the favoured Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.
The first five days have produced some wonderful individual efforts from star players we would expect, like Predators defenceman Shea Weber, New York Islanders captain John Tavares, his Dallas Stars counterpart Jamie Benn and Tampa Bay Lightning centre Tyler Johnson.
The first five days also have produced plenty of top-shelf efforts from unheralded players. Take a bow Reilly Smith, Thomas Hickey, Brian Elliott, Martin Jones, Jamie Benn, Jaden Schwartz, Andreas Athanasiou and my new favourite soccer player Antoine Roussel.
But the topic that has dominated the playoff conversation over the first five days has been the coach's challenge, particularly on offside calls. Anybody else experience flashbacks this past weekend from 1999 and the Brett Hull toe-in-the-crease overtime goal that clinched the Stanley Cup for the Dallas Stars against the Buffalo Sabres?
Well, there is a very real possibility of something like that happening again this June. Already, we've seen some critical momentum swings because video reviews showed the slightest of margins necessary to wipe out goals.
On Friday, the St. Louis Blues — which just happens to be the team Hull currently works for as an executive vice president — were the victims. Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko appeared to have scored the go-ahead 2-1 goal with less than eight minutes remaining in the third period.
But upon further review, apparently St. Louis centre Jori Lehtera had entered the Chicago Blackhawks' zone a fraction before the puck. The goal was called off.
Of course, Tarasenko takes a slashing penalty 90 seconds later and just like that the defending champs take advantage of the momentum swing to score a 3-2 win and tie the series at 1-1. The Blues won Game 3 on Sunday, but you can't help but think they could be up 3-0 in the series.
On Sunday, Florida Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad scored early in the second period to make it 3-0 against the New York Islanders. The Islanders, however, challenged the play and it was determined that Jonathan Huberdeau's left heel was a fraction offside.
As often happens following these incidents, the Islanders rebounded to win on Hickey's overtime winner.
The NHL made some nifty alterations coming out of the 2004-05 lockout to make the game more entertaining with more skill and flow and far less interference. But the entertainment and drama has been stunted early in this post-season.
The coach's challenge was put in to eliminate undetected "egregious" rule violations like Matt Duchene's offside goal in a Colorado-Nashville game in February 2013, not the kind of plays that took away goals from Tarasenko and Ekblad.
Hopefully, when the general managers get together during the Stanley Cup final and the competition committee meeting also takes place, tweaks will be made.
The NHL doesn't need another Brett Hull moment. But judging by the first five days of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, there is a real possibility that something contentious could happen at the most critical time.