Outrage Over Missed Call: Auston Matthews' Dirty Cross Check Ignored by Referees, Sparks Fury From Sheldon Keefe
The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped tonight's game to the Colorado Avalanche in a shocking fashion after the team ended the 1st period with a 3-0 lead. Leafs fans and the team alike were quite unhappy with the way the game was officiated however, sparking another debate about refereeing in the NHL.
Referees Miss Blatant Cross Check On Matthews
The primary play that has Leafs fans pointing their fingers at the refs came when star center Auston Matthews was stung by a violent cross check from Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson.
The Star centerman was clearly stung by the cross check as he laid on the ice in pain for several moments before he got up and skated over to the Leafs bench. Shockingly, there was no call on the play. Even more shocking is the fact that there was no call even though the play resulted in a change in possession, directly as a result of the penalty. Following the play, Sheldon Keefe could be seen asking the referees what they saw.
Keefe's anger here is understandable as the Avalanche ended the game with five powerplays while dangerous and needless plays like this went uncalled. The Leafs got just one chance on the man advantage in the contest despite dominating play for long stretches. Ultimately though, it is on the players to hold onto a three-goal lead after a period of play this late into the season.
| POLL | ||
Do you think there should have been a penalty on this play? | ||
| Yes, minor | 706 | 56 % |
| Yes, major | 421 | 33.4 % |
| No | 133 | 10.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
