Why Andrew Mangiapane’s goal against Toronto counted, but Connor Zary’s didn’t

The NHL ruled as follows: “Video review determined that the puck Andrew Mangiapane kicked towards the net hit Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren’s stick before entering the net. According to Rule 49.2 (ii) A kicked puck that deflects off the stick of any player (excluding the goalkeeper’s stick) shall be ruled a good goal.”

Essentially, the kicked puck is treated like a hand pass or high-stick: if the puck is played illegally, the puck cannot legally cross the goal line and count as a goal until it hits a stick from the other team – remember that Nashville goal from November that was preceded by a Filip Forsberg glove pass?

It counted because when MacKenzie Weegar touched the puck, it became legal again.

However, the kicked puck rule is a bit broader: the puck becomes able to legally cross the goal line once it makes contact with anybody’s stick except the goaltender’s – if Mangiapane or Backlund made contact with the puck before it crossed the line, it also would have counted as a goal.

Connor Zary’s disallowed goal after a hand pass

At 8:39 of the third period with the Flames trailing 4-3, it seemed like the Flames had tied the game up. Zary entered the offensive zone, received a pass, fired the puck on net from a bad angle, then skating behind the net to the opposite side of the crease and tucked his own rebound past Jones.

It was called a goal on the ice. The Leafs called a timeout, reviewed the play on their bench, then initiated a coach’s challenge. The goal was disallowed due to a missed stoppage due to a hand pass by Blake Coleman prior to the goal.

Here’s what the NHL noted: “Video review determined that Blake Coleman directed the puck to Jordan Oesterle with a hand pass at 11:30 of the third period (8:30 elapsed time) prior to Connor Zary’s goal. The decision was made in accordance with Rule 79. The clock was reset to the time of the infraction: 11:30 (8:30 elapsed time).”

Rule 79.1 (“Hand Pass”) states: “A player shall be permitted to stop or “bat” a puck in the air with his open hand, or push it along the ice with his hand, and the play shall not be stopped unless, in the opinion of the on-ice officials, he has directed the puck to a teammate, or has allowed his team to gain an advantage, and subsequently possession and control of the puck is obtained by a player of the offending team, either directly or deflected off any player or official.”

Again: if Coleman had swatted the puck and a Leafs player had made contact with the puck before another Flame, the play would had been legal. But a swat of the puck directly to another Flames player meant that the goal was overturned due to a missed stoppage.

Speaking to the media following the game, Flames head coach Ryan Huska didn’t dispute the results of the review.

“It hit his hand, what are you going to do?” said Huska. “I mean, it’s not really a hand pass per se, but it hit his hand. So they took a long time to look at it, that is the right call.”