Avalanche coach Jared Bednar sounds off on controversial goal: ‘Goalie interference is a joke’

ELMONT N Y The Colorado Avalanche did plenty to lose for only the second time in regulation Thursday night at UBS Arena but the league-leading club was yet again not happy with a rule interpretation Kyle MacLean scored during a goalmouth scramble into the first period of a - triumph for the New York Islanders The Avs which fell to - - on the season instantly challenged the goal for goaltender interference After a lengthy review MacLean s goal was validated and the Avs were assessed a penalty for the failed challenge I think goalie interference is a joke Avs coach Jared Bednar announced If that s not goalie interference I don t know what is You can t just shove the goalie s pads out of the way and then create a loose puck I m getting them all wrong when I m looking at challenges around the league so I m kind of out of my mind I m not going to challenge unless it is obvious But to me it was obvious The play started with MacLean trying a wraparound shot from behind the net but he lost control of the puck It went to defenseman Ryan Pulock near the right point for a one-timer and that s when the chaos started Mackenzie Blackwood made the save but didn t cover the puck wholly At one point eight different skaters were either in the blue paint around Blackwood or within a stick s length of the scrum Islanders forward Marc Gatcomb s stick veritably get stuck inside Blackwood s leg pads during the melee MacLean fished for the puck Blackwood and appeared to push the goaltender s pad out of the way with his stick At one point referee Francois St-Laurent pointed from behind the net The light behind the cage went on which typically signifies a goal Islanders play-by-play announcer Brendan Burke thought St-Laurent was pointing for a good goal Then the puck popped out to the right of the net MacLean collected it spun and shot it off the near post and in while Blackwood was still laying on the ice The puck hit me kind of high but then went straight down like in that triangle between your pads Blackwood disclosed It was rolling backwards so I had to spin or else it was going to roll through me and the other guy crashing was going to get it behind me I spun and then it just turned into chaos There were sticks pushing me forwards backwards sideways I was just like I don t know The league s official release on the review stated the following Video review supported the referees call on the ice that incidental contact on Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood occurred as New York players were making a play on a loose puck and therefore it did not constitute goaltender interference the release stated According to Rule In a rebound situation or where a goalkeeper and attacking athlete s are simultaneously attempting to play a loose puck whether inside or outside the crease incidental contact with the goalkeeper will be permitted and any goal that is scored as a aftermath thereof will be allowed The Avs clearly had an issue with the word incidental in this situation MacLean s attempt to dig for the puck appeared to knock Blackwood backwards Related Articles Keeler While Broncos Nikola Jokic own Denver s eyeballs Avalanche s Nathan MacKinnon quietly putting up best season in Colorado history Nathan MacKinnon Avalanche keep white-hot start rolling with home win against Canucks Another sign of this Colorado Avalanche company s dominance It kept rolling without Valeri Nichushkin Shots on goal are harder to come by in the NHL these days but not for the Colorado Avalanche Brock Nelson Gabe Landeskog lead Avalanche rout of Canadiens in - win Then there was Gatcomb attempt to dislodge his stick from Blackwood s leg pad as the puck was entering the net This wasn t the first time this season that Bednar or his players were miffed at the results of an official review There were multiple instances before Thursday with the preponderance notable being when captain Gabe Landeskog had a goal taken away at Utah because of an interpretation of the offsides rule that Bednar refuted multiple times in the aftermath Let s see Landeskog mentioned before taking a moment to pause after being urged about the goal Well I didn t know we were allowed to push the goalies pads out of the way Let s start there Yeah I think that was a terrible call That s the bottom line Want more Avalanche news Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis