When a controversial non-icing call allowed the Vegas Golden Knights to win a late game 1 in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Anaheim Ducks were left in a rage over the controversial ruling. After the action resulted in a go-ahead goal for Vegas in the last minutes of the game, the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, Joel Quenneville, publicly criticized the refereeing.
The controversial incident was soon regarded as one of the hottest pieces of news on the NHL news roundup. As the Vegas Golden Knights were celebrating a significant playoff victory, many Anaheim Ducks fans thought that an important moment of the playoff victory was missed by the referees.
Joel Quenneville questions officiating after Anaheim Ducks NHL Game 1 controversy against Vegas Golden Knights
The refereeing of the Anaheim Ducks was questioned after it lost a close playoff game to the Vegas Golden Knights. This controversy started towards the end of the third period, when the referee left the game unstopped, despite Anaheim players anticipating an icing whistle.
The Vegas Golden Knights were at a draw after the nonexistent pass, yet still, they rapidly shifted to the offensive ensouling. Star Forward Jack Eichel contributed to generating the pressure that ultimately led to the game-winning goal of Vegas.
Joel Quenneville rushed up onto the bench, exclaiming passionately against the officials, following the goal line. Videography cameras showed the Anaheim Ducks coach chewing as he became frustrated a moment after the puck went into the net.
Although there was controversy, some analysts felt that the officials made the right call since the player on the Vegas Golden Knights team appeared to have a positioning advantage as he pursued the puck.
The outcome provided the Vegas Golden Knights with a series lead early and the Anaheim Ducks with pressure at Game 2. Another significant storyline of this year also got added to the NHL match outcomes and postseason events that were featured in the playoffs incident.
The passionate reaction by Joel Quenneville, though, can also serve the purpose of motivating the roster as the series progresses against one of the strongest playoff contenders by the NHL standards.