This Botched Call Cost The Blackhawks A Pivotal Win In Game 3

Down 2-1 early in the third period of Monday's Game 3, the Chicago Blackhawks thought they had tied the game until a referee ruled Viktor Stalberg's shot not a goal.

"I disagree with the call," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville told ESPN. "He didn’t touch the goalie."

Quenneville has a point. Rule 69 of the official NHL rulebook states goals should be disallowed only if:

• (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or
• (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease.

Even if Shaw had touched Howard he would have been within the rules:

• If an attacking player has been pushed, shoved, or fouled by a defending player so as to cause him to come into contact with the goalkeeper, such contact will not be deemed contact initiated by the attacking player for purposes of this rule, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.

"The puck came from the same side, and he was against his post, so I don’t understand that one," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews told ESPN. "I guess we’ll see the replay."