Awful call puts Dallas Stars one game from Stanley Cup elimination
The NHL’s latest team of destiny has run into a superior team that didn’t need any help from the officials but got it anyway.
An overtime-period penalty incorrectly called on Stars captain Jamie Benn turned into yet another Tampa Bay power-play goal, and the Lightning defeated the Stars 5-4 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday night in Edmonton.
This series isn’t over, it just feels like it.
After an impressive Stars’ win in Game 1 there is now no question as to the better team. The Lightning lead the series 3-1, and can win the Stanley Cup on Saturday night in Game 5.
With forward Joe Pavelksi carrying the team with two goals, the Stars threw everything it could find in the bubble at the Lightning on Friday and it wasn’t enough.
The Lightning power play is neutering the Stars, and won the game after a trash call in overtime.
After the Stars failed to score on a 4-3 power play early in the overtime, the Lightning was handed a man-advantage opportunity when Benn was incorrectly called for tripping.
Replays showed Benn did not come close to tripping Tampa Bay’s Tyler Johnson. Johnson lost his balance, and fell down right in front of the referee.
“I saw two guys going for a loose puck. That’s a hockey play. That’s what I saw,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said. “It’s two guys in the playoffs going for a loose puck. They’re hooking us and we’re fighting through the hook. That’s what I saw.”
Everyone with the Stars who spoke to the media was polite in overly knocking the refs.
Normally reserved, Benn verbally blistered the ref on his way off the ice.
At the time Benn went to the penalty box, Tampa had already scored twice on Friday night on the power play. The Lightning had scored 5 goals on their last 11 power-play chances in this series.
At the 6:34 mark in overtime, Tampa’s Kevin Shattenkirk’s shot from the left circle went past Dallas Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and goalie Anton Khudobin for the game winner.
It was a good goal, via a rotten call.
Said Stars defenseman John Klingberg, “I disagreed with the call, but it’s out of our control. Let’s move on.”
It did not help that Khudobin never appeared comfortable in net, and he struggled all night. The goalie who was so good in the Western Conference Finals has not been the same guy in these Finals.
Bowness did not say who will start in net for Game 5. Khudobin has struggled in each of the last two games.
The Stars had a 2-0 first period lead, but could not hold it and eventually had to rally to tie it at 4-4 in the third period.
The Stars are down to one last chance, against a team that now looks to be superior.
The Stars can win this series, but they can’t keep handing Tampa power plays, and neither should the officials.
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 11:05 PM.
