'Laughable': Jon Cooper makes his thoughts clear on divisive hand-pass call last night
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper made his thoughts clear after what looked like a late game tying goal from Nikita Kucherov was disallowed because of a hand pass from teammate Brandon Hagel.
The Pittsburgh Penguins held on for a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning last night, but the Lightning felt they were given the short end of the stick by the officials.
Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov appeared to tie the game late in regulation, but his goal that likely would have sent the game to OT was waived off after teammate Brandon Hagel was called for a hand pass.
Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was incensed after the game, saying that that call that decided the game should not have come from someone not even in the state of Florida where the game was being played.
Was there an advantage gained or not? You could really debate whether an advantage was gained. Did Brandon Hagel direct that puck knowing exactly where it was going? No.
I think if you read the rulebook, which we did, and you try to dissect what happened, and take it all into consideration, it's laughable that it got overturned. - Jon Cooper
I think if you read the rulebook, which we did, and you try to dissect what happened, and take it all into consideration, it's laughable that it got overturned. - Jon Cooper
Cooper also said Hagel batted the puck down in self defense, not as a hand pass. But despite his protests, there's nothing that can be done about it now. Tampa Bay will have to channel that energy into a better game plan tomorrow when they play the New York Islanders.
The Penguins Are Off To A Much Better Start Than Anyone Expected
The win for the Penguins against the Lightning following the controversial no-goal call that would have tied the game late was their 14th of the year.
Not many fans or analysts would have predicted the Penguins to already have 14 wins by early December, as they were widely projected to miss the playoffs for what would be a fourth straight year.
Their three year drought is already the longest in the careers of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, but if the Penguins continue down this path, that streak could very well be broken in the spring.
Previously on House Of Hockey
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 5 | 217 ANSWERS 'Laughable': Jon Cooper makes his thoughts clear on divisive hand-pass call last night Were the Lightning robbed? | ||
| Yes, it should have counted | 128 | 59 % |
| No, right call | 89 | 41 % |
| List of polls | ||