Matthews a goal short, a step late versus Avs
Leafs centre scores, has goal overturned, scores again, then can’t prevent winner
Auston Matthews obviously knows a lot about hockey but, when it comes to what constitutes goaltender interference, the Leafs centre is at a bit of a loss for words.
“I don’t know,” Matthews said Monday night, when asked about his overturned goal — due to contact with the goalie — that was a large part of the script in the Leafs’ 4-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
When pressed, Matthews smiled, and replied the same way: “Nah, I don’t know.”
Leafs coach Mike Babcock had even fewer words about the play, at 7:36 in the second period, where Matthews got his stick on a loose puck on the doorstep to the Colorado net.
The goal put the Leafs ahead 2-1, but Colorado coach Jared Bednar, who has to be credited, along with his coaching staff, for having a very keen eye, motioned to the game officials for a coach’s challenge.
Bednar said after the game that he asked for the challenge because he thought the butt end of Matthews’ stick was “tied up” with the goalie Jonathan Bernier’s blocker.
The goal was overturned, and Matthews scored on his next shift. But the Avalanche broke a 2-2 tie in the third with a Blake Comeau goal and an empty netter by Gabriel Landeskog to win their 10th consecutive game. That’s the longest streak for Colorado since October 2000, the season the franchise won its second Stanley Cup.
Babcock underlined the fact that the Leafs did not lose the game because of the overturned goal. But the coach, like his star centre, was certainly perplexed by the call on the play.
“Nope . . . ” Babcock said, when asked if he understands what goalie interference is these days in the NHL.
“I got texts from half the coaches (in the NHL) saying it shoulda been a goal. But I thought we played well enough, got enough chances, to win the game. “We shoulda won the game.” The NHL has come under fire crit- ically for video reviews on offside calls, and for confusion on how goalie interference can be consistently defined.
One of the more controversial goalie interference calls came last May in the playoffs when Anaheim overcame a two-goal deficit against Edmonton, which included a “good goal” call on a marker by Corey Perry, who was roundly believed to have clearly interfered with Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.
While Leafs players and their fans were incredulous over the call Monday night, the Leafs once again failed to protect a third-period lead, despite outshooting Colorado 9-6 in the final frame and 31-27 overall.
Comeau’s goal came 12 minutes into the third period, and saw Matthews somewhat light on his check- ing responsibilities. Matthews, though, was trailing the play to begin with.
He picked up Comeau after defenceman Travis Dermott broke to the puck carrier, which left the Leafs with both defencemen on one side of the ice.
Matthews, who is a terrific player in close quarters around the net, was battling for position right in front of Bernier on the overturned goal.
“Yes,” he said when asked if the refs told him he’d interfered with Bernier. “But if I’m not in that position, I can’t score.”
On his next shift, he had an almost open net to shoot at after William Nylander made a tremendous rush down the right side and placed a low shot from a sharp angle. Bernier was forced to make the save and kick the puck out into the middle of the ice.
“Just making sure I put the puck in the net that time,” said Matthews, who pointed at the net in exclamation after that goal, his team-leading 21st of the season.