Chicago Blackhawks
Questionable calls help lead to Blackhawks 6-3 loss to Canucks
The Chicago Blackhawks lost a tough game to the Vancouver Canucks, a few questionable calls may have played an impact.
The Chicago Blackhawks lost 6 to 3 to the Vancouver Canucks last night, but the game could have ended differently.
Throughout the first period, two different calls made an impact on the game, both ending with the puck in the Blackhawks net.
First, after getting possession of the puck in the offensive zone, Canucks forward Keifer Sherwood skated across the ice, losing possession as the puck left the offensive zone.
After the Blackhawks challenged a Danton Heinen goal that occurred after the following the play, the NHL Situation Room ruled against the Hawks. The league’s explanation was that “Sherwood legally tagged up at the blue line before he played the puck in the offensive zone prior to Heinen’s goal.”
As a result of the failed challenge, the Blackhawks not only found themselves down 3-1 against the Canucks but also killing a penalty. Even after getting the explanation from the league, I still see this as an offsides, take a look:
#Blackhawks coaching staff is dumbfounded that this wasn't overturned for offside. pic.twitter.com/gLiJ2EqPIb
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 23, 2024
One goal can rarely change the trajectory of a game, but two could. Not even five minutes later after the Hawks killed the delay of game penalty and Taylor Hall registered his 700th point, the Blackhawks found themselves yet again in a battle with the officiating.
Before the Canucks fourth goal of the night, the Blackhawks bench could be seen banging on the boards as the refs missed that Vancouver had seven players on the ice right before scoring the goal.
I stand corrected: Vancouver had SEVEN players on the ice prior to scoring their fourth goal. The officials missed it. Chicago's bench was irate. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/TJpYqXeIiZ
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 23, 2024
After the loss, Richardson said the league’s decision on the offside was “still a little confusing,” but that the team can’t get thrown off their game due to a bad call.
“I think it took us a little bit to get off a few of those things today and settle back down, but we did,” he said. “But we have to be professional and make sure we’re ready to go no matter what happens. We can only control our own actions on the ice.”
Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno is used to being the team’s ambassador when it comes to the officiating, but even he was surprised and frustrated with the too many men missed call.
“They screwed up,” Foligno said postgame. “They know that. I just don’t understand why they all were seeing it and they didn’t want to call it at the time. That was the only thing, and I just didn’t like his response at the time. But he owned it after. It’s breaks in games and there’s not much you can do, but that’s not why we lost the game. It’s disappointing because it definitely changes the game, but the score was 6-3, so it’s something we need to make sure we rectify.”
The Blackhawks won’t have to wait too long before they get a chance to shake this loss off. On Friday the Nashville Predators will come to town for a tough game before the Hawks begin a five game road trip.
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