Colorado coach Jared Bednar was upset that the Buffalo Sabres were allowed to score while Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood was lying injured in the net, calling the decision ‘insanity.’
Colorado’s Parker Kelly had tangled with Buffalo’s Zach Benson, who fell onto the back of Wedgewood’s leg in Thursday’s game. The Sabres retrieved the loose puck and Benson scored on a wraparound.
Bednar challenged for goalie interference ‘to give (officials) another chance to do the right thing’ and was overruled.
‘The referees said it wasn’t blown because we put their guy into Scott,” he told reporters after the game. “I said I don’t give a (expletive). He’s hurt.”
Bednar said referees blow the whistle to stop play “all the time for (injured) regular players because of player safety” and cited several examples from recent games.
“For them to just let it go and then allow the goal is insanity to me,” he said. “It’s a player safety thing.”
There’s precedent for allowing the goal. In the 2019 playoffs, Dallas Stars goalie Ben Bishop dropped to the ice after being hit in the collarbone by a shot. The St. Louis Blues maintained possession of the puck and scored against the motionless goalie.
The applicable rule is 8.1, which states: ‘When a player is injured so that he cannot continue to play or go to his bench, the play shall not be stopped until the injured player’s team has secured control of the puck. If the player’s team is in control of the puck at the time of injury, play shall be stopped immediately unless his team is in a scoring position.’
Colorado never got control of the puck, but Bednar said officials never follow the rule. He said the play should have been blown dead as soon as the puck went to the corner because it was clear the goalie was hurt and wasn’t going to get up.
“If they (the Sabres) would have loaded up (Rasmus) Dahlin for a one-timer for a 105 mph slap shot, they’re going to just let it (expletive) happen with our goalie down in the net? You can’t do it.”
Bednar said he expected to get a call from the league about his postgame criticism.
The Avalanche killed off the penalty for an unsuccessful challenge and rallied to win 6-5 in overtime.
Wedgewood was acquired in November as the Avalanche remade their goaltending with two trades. Though he was able to recover quickly from a leg injury earlier in his career, Bednar said Friday that he expects the goalie will be out week-to-week.
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