Anders Lee wasn't too upset that his supposed game-tying goal was canceled after the Islanders' loss to the Maple Leafs on Thursday.
reason?
Lee said that if the Islanders had gotten the break on the first call — the puck was ruled frozen before Joseph Wall stuffed it — the goal would have been ruled out for goaltender interference anyway. I thought it would have been.
“For me, the puck is loose,” he said after the call in a 2-1 loss with 23 seconds left in regulation at UBS Arena. “But if the puck is loose, I think we're going to lose the call anyway, because they're just going to call goaltender interference.”
“You just jam until you hear the whistle. It's jammed. I think the whistle went at the same time. Whatever, the puck goes in. The puck is under him, it's not covered. That's what it means. If there is, it's because it's loose. That's the goal, and who knows what's going to happen if they try a poke or something.”
Fans at UBS Arena were outraged by the ruling, but there was less anger in the Islanders' locker room.
Coach Patrick Roy said he felt the whistle had blown suddenly, but there was no dispute that the play was poor.
“I thought it wasn't going to be a goal,” Mathew Barzal said. “I didn't see it either.”
In some ways, that's similar to how things are going for the islanders right now.
They don't expect to get the breaks they want.
Isaiah George went into concussion protocol after his night ended early due to an elbow to the head by Max Domi.
Roy had no additional updates on the defenseman's status.
Kyle McClain went to the locker room after appearing to be hit in the face with a stick early in the third period.
Roy says it's okay.
However, McClain did not play until 13:13 of the game.
Semyon Varlamov (lower body) skated alone for the first time since his injury, but Roy said he didn't get hit by any shots. Varlamov last played on November 29th.
Simon Holmstrom (upper body) missed his second consecutive game against the Leafs.
There was no update on his status.
Mike Riley (Hart) was on the ice before the start of Thursday's morning skate but did not participate with the team.
Former head coach Lane Lambert returns to UBS Arena for the first time as an associate coach with the Maple Leafs.
Toronto won Thursday to take the season series with the Islanders 2-1.
