There seems to be a bit of a controversy surrounding Norfolk Admirals forward Mike Kostka's goal, the on-ice officials missed the Admirals being offside and the game winning goal against the Marlies shouldn't have counted.
According to the Marlies, Norfolk forward Brandon Segal was six to eight feet inside the blueline when Kostka shot the puck into the corner causing the linesman to call delayed offsides.
You can watch the video again on this link [ click to open].
Here is the official statement by the AHL
“We have spoken with Toronto Marlies management and confirmed that a rules interpretation error by the on-ice officials occurred on the Norfolk Admirals’ overtime goal during Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals.This is what the Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins had to say about the goal that cost his team the game.
“On the play, a dump-in from center ice by a Norfolk player caromed off a stanchion and into the Toronto net. The correct application of AHL Rule 83.4 would have negated the Norfolk goal due to a delayed offside call.
“As AHL By-Laws do not allow for any change to the final result of a game based on an incorrect rule interpretation, the result of the game stands.”
I saw it and it’s a real interesting one for the referees,” Eakins said. “The puck comes out, the puck’s rimmed in, there’s a guy that’s offside by about eight to 10 feet, the puck hits the stanchion, but now he is onside and it goes in your net. It’s a fairly grey area. Once again, something that I’ve never seen. I’m sure the referees have never seen anything like that either.”
