The New Jersey Devils are taking on the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday afternoon. The two teams are possibly the two most disappointing teams in December and January. Both teams made the playoffs last season, and the Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team in last year’s regular season. Yet, both are near the bottom of the standings after a stretch of lifeless and listless play.
Both teams are putting up some offense on Sunday. At the time of this writing, it’s 3-3 going into the third period after a few goals going back and forth. However, the Devils have put the puck past Connor Hellebuyck four times. Unfortunately for them, the referees reversed a call on Jonas Siegenthaler’s second-period goal that originally made it 3-2.
The goal came off a wild scramble in front that included multiple Devils shots. Luke Glendening came close to scoring, and a Johnny Kovacevic shot went wide, but the puck found Siegenthaler in front with a wide-open net. Turns out, at least according to the league, there was a reason for the net being that wide open.
The go-ahead goal by Jonas Siegenthaler was called back. Did the officials make the right call? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/XNNIjruIu9
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 11, 2026
The referees called goaltender interference on the play, we assume, because Paul Cotter clipped him while trying to skate into the corner. There are a few problems with that call. For one, it’s borderline whether Cotter even got him in the blue paint. Hellebuyck skated himself way out of position, and Cotter wasn’t skating in the crease. He was near the crease, sure, but not in it. If he did hit him “in the crease,” it was by an inch.
Also, Cotter had nowhere to go because of the defenseman’s positioning. He “ran into” Hellebuyck because that was the only possible path to skate without plowing into him.
On top of all that, Hellebuyck had time to get back in position. He seemed to be looking for a call before going back to play his position. We can’t be calling off goals because players are looking for calls. We’d never get anything accomplished in this sport.
According to the NHL Rulebook, if incidental contact happens outside of the goal crease, the goal is automatcally allowed. If it happens inside the crease, it's not allowed. There are gray areas about players being pushed into the net, which also happened. If the player is deemed to be pushd or shoved, the goal is supposed to be allowed.
So all we can assume here is that the referees determined that Cotter a. hit Hellebuyck in while he was an inch in the crease and b. that they felt the contact by the defenseman didn't constitute a "shove."
It's crazy this is how it worked out, but hopefully the Devils can still come out of this with two points.