Earlier today, ESPN's Craig Custance discussed the effects that the coach's challenge has had upon video coaches, and this afternoon, the Canadian Press's Stephen Whyno discusses the fact that the standards of goaltender interference have changed--not only under the new rule, but with "incidental contact" yielding more and more waved-off goals:
It can definitely help the goalies. [Jonathan] Bernier and fellow Leafs goalie James Reimer said a handful of goals against might not count thanks to coach's challenges.
"I think they would be the first ones to tell you it's great for the referees, too," Bernier said. "We all make mistakes, and obviously that can change momentum of the games."
It changed momentum of the Sharks-Capitals game, even though some players complained that there wasn't sufficient contact between Jay Beagle and goaltender Martin Jones to take the goal away. Beagle appeared to brush Jones as the puck was going by, and referee Tim Peel said the goalie wasn't able to do his job.
"Any incidental contact, call it. That's the standard that seems to be set now," Capitals coach Barry Trotz told reporters. "I don't have to agree with it, but if that’s the standard, then you're going to get a lot of challenges from the coaches around the league."
Rederees determining a standard for these subjective calls is crucial to how effective coach's challenges will be. Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby said he considers getting bumped part of the game, but perhaps the slightest contact will lead to goals being wiped out.
"It's not even a game of inches, it's a game of millimetres," Reimer said. "You get bumped on the skate lightly and he knocks you off balance for a half-second and the puck goes in."
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