Jon Cooper blasts NHL Situation Room in controversial Pens–Bolts finish

Thursday night’s 4-3 Penguins win over the Lightning didn’t just deliver excitement, it mostly delivered controversy. Pittsburgh had been leading 3-0, only to lose the edge and lead until the final moments of the last period. Evgeni Malkin scored his second of the game, and the Pens were holding on.

With less than a minute left, Tampa Bay pulled the goalie and superstar forward Nikita Kucherov fired what looked like a game-tying goal.

But not so fast. The NHL Situation Room in Toronto intervened, reviewing the play for a possible hand pass. The puck had brushed Brandon Hagel just before reaching Jake Guentzel, and the goal was overturned, keeping Pittsburgh ahead.

The decision immediately sparked frustration. In his post-game press conference, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper called it “laughable”, questioning why a remote official, and not the four on-ice referees, was making the call.

“I think you read the rule book, which we did, then you try and dissect what happened in the play, and then you take it all into consideration, it’s laughable that got overturned.”

Fans were equally outraged, some calling the reversal criminal.

The Penguins left with the win, but the story of the night wasn’t the score: it was the frustration, debate, and controversy surrounding a call that could decide a season.

It could even get worse… imagine if Cooper gets fined for criticizing the NHL Situation Room in Toronto?