It didn’t take Mike Babcock long to make NHL history with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
OK, this is pretty innocuous stuff ... but he made the first coach’s challenge, and it worked. Huzzah.
Jeff Petry seemingly scored for the Montreal Canadiens, but the league ultimately agreed that Tomas Plekanec kept Jonathan Bernier from making the save.
With that, the goal was overturned and Babcock saved his timeout.
This gives you an idea of how much the process did or did not halt play:
Stats on the 1st #CoachsChallenge : it took
— Darren R Pang (@Panger40) October 8, 2015
:43 for goal to be challenged after puck in net and 2:12 to determine the call. @Sportsnet
Thoughts on the process, which skipped dress rehearsal altogether?
Update: Here’s the league explanation, via the NHL’s Situation Room Blog:
The Referee determined that Plekanec interfered with Bernier before the puck crossed the goal line. According to Rule 78.7, “The standard for overturning the call in the event of a ‘GOAL’ call on the ice is that the Referee, after reviewing any and all available replays and consulting with the Toronto Video Room, determines that the goal should have been disallowed due to ‘Interference on the Goalkeeper,’ as described in Rules 69.1, 69.3 and 69.4.”
Therefore the original call is overturned – no goal Montreal Canadiens.
Since the Coach’s Challenge resulted in the original call being overturned, the Toronto Maple Leafs retain their time-out.
Want more info on the coach’s challenge? Read the rest of that blog entry.