Goaltender interference debate is alive and well in the NHL playoffs after 1st-round controversy

Minutes after his team was knocked out of the NHL playoffs in a game that included two disallowed goals because of goaltender interference, Jon Cooper was careful to say those calls weren’t the reason the Tampa Bay Lightning lost the series. At least one prominent colleague agreed with Cooper’s sentiment, and many of the coaches left in the playoffs acknowledge there’s a delicate balance when it comes to goalie interference, when the decision or a coach’s challenge can swing a game or a series at the most important time of year. The veteran coach who guided Florida to the Stanley Cup Final last year felt confident enough to challenge but wasn’t entirely sure what the league’s situation room would decide. “The reality of the situation often is you better be sure it’s goalie interference, if you’re going to challenge it.