Bruins acknowledged feeling uncertain as they awaited the verdict on a potential goalie interference call. Trent Frederic conceded to a pessimistic outlook as the referees approached the scorer’s booth and donned their headsets during the second period of their 2-1 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena.
Throughout their best-of-five series with Florida, the Bruins had experienced several unfavorable calls and non-calls, leaving them braced for disappointment. Frederic expressed doubt, stating, “There’s no way they’re going to call it a good goal,” though he admitted to not seeing the replay.
The contested play involved Charlie McAvoy’s wrist shot from the slot, which surpassed Sergei Bobrovsky, granting the Bruins a 2-1 advantage. Panthers coach Paul Maurice contested that Danton Heinen had interfered with Bobrovsky, who had lost his stick.
The tension escalated due to previous incidents, including Sam Bennett’s push on Charlie Coyle in Game 4, leading to a goal, which the Bruins anticipated would be nullified but wasn’t. Additionally, there was no penalty for Bennett’s hit to Brad Marchand’s head in Game 3.
The Bruins’ confidence in receiving a favorable call was low. According to David Pastrnak, McAvoy was visibly anxious on the bench, though McAvoy downplayed it, stating, “Just hoping. He seemed squared up to me. He didn’t look like he was interfered with.”
Coach Jim Montgomery prepared the team for either outcome, emphasizing the need to maintain focus and continue playing regardless of the call.
When the officials signaled for a center-ice faceoff, the Bruins breathed a collective sigh of relief. Montgomery expressed gratitude, stating, “It hasn’t been going our way. It was nice that one did.” McAvoy echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of such rulings.
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