Referee apologizes to Lane Hutson mid-game after controversial tripping call

The Montreal Canadiens have been off to another fantastic start in 2025/26, and with their incredible blend of youth, experience, speed and physicality, this is a team that's set to be a genuine contender this season.

On Tuesday night, they proved it once again as they picked up a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild, but as always when the Canadiens are involved, it wasn't a game that ended without significant controversy.

During the game, reigning Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson was called for arguably the worst penalty in NHL history, as an official called a tripping penalty with Hutson not even going close to touching his opponent, with the call unable to be changed.

Unsurprisingly, the play went viral on social media, with many clowning the official for the call, and given the level of inconsistency we've seen in 2025/26 from the league officials, it's easy to see why this adds to fan frustration.

To his credit however, the official, Eric Furlatt, was quick to recognize his mistake, and while he wasn't able to reverse the call, he went right to Hutson and apologized for the poor call.

It was the least that he could do after sending Hutson to the box despite not touching his opponent, and while this will bring up more discussions about the poor level of officiating in the NHL, Montreal were still able to come out on top despite the controversy.

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