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Torts Says He Would Challenge Disallowed Vegas Goal “Ten Out of Ten Times”
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The Stanley Cup Final is tied at one game apiece after Carolina erased a 2-0 late deficit to win in overtime on Thursday night.
There was a controversial moment near the end of the third period, with the refs blowing dead a Vegas attempt to jam the puck home. John Tortorella challenged and lost:
“I saw a loose puck in front of Freddie (Andersen). Our player stabbed it, didn’t move the goalie and it goes through him into the other side. I’d challenge it 10 out of 10 times.”
The sequence:
Vegas winger Ivan Barbashev was stopped on a wraparound attempt, then Freddie Andersen tried to cover the puck and Barbashev shoved his stick in there to jar it loose. The puck trickled into the net, but not before the whistle blew and the refs waved the goal off, calling it interference. The reasoning is that the refs believed the puck was underneath Andersen and Barbashev shoving his stick in there interfered with the goaltender’s ability to freeze it. That’s why it was waved off.
The failed challenge resulted in a power play for Carolina, and they scored to make it 3-2. Mark Stone equalized at 3-3 with about 90 seconds left and then Carolina won it in overtime.
Games 1 and 2 were both insane. Could have gone either way. The Canes are a wagon, though. That comeback was something else. They haven’t lost back-to-back games since January.
We have ourselves a series.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com