Failed goalie interference challenge turns over Game 3 between Nashville Predators, Avalanche

The call flipped the momentum and changed the scoreboard in Saturday's Game 3 between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche.

Gabe Landeskog appeared to score on a one-timer with 5:58 left in the second period to give Colorado a 4-3 lead at Bridgestone Arena.

But the Predators initiated a challenge on the play for goalie interference after contact between Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen and Nashville goaltender Connor Ingram. The contact wasn't immediately noticeable live, but Ingram did point to Lehkonen after the goal and replays showed Lekhonen's right skate up against Ingram's left leg pad as the shot went into the net.

Lekhonen was jostling with Nashville's Mikael Granlund in front of the net, but Lekhonen appeared to enter the crease on his own accord.

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TNT rules analyst Don Koharski, a retired NHL referee, said on the game broadcast that he immediately thought it would be ruled goalie interference.

"(Lekhonen) has every opportunity to try to avoid this goaltender," Koharski said. "I'm going to tell you this is going to be turned over and there is going to be a power play here. I'd be shocked if they don't."

Well, he was shocked.

The NHL's situation room in Toronto allowed the goal to stand. Later Saturday, the NHL said about the ruling: "Video review confirmed the actions of Nashville’s Mikael Granlund caused Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen to contact Connor Ingram prior to Gabriel Landeskog’s goal."

Because the challenge was unsuccessful, the Avalanche returned to the power play. Colorado almost instantly scored a goal helped by a misplay by Connor Ingram behind his net. Instead of a possible 3-3 tie, the Avalanche led 5-3.

It's a familiar refrain among NHL media members and fans that goalie interference rulings and reviews have little to no consistency. Not to defend the league, but goalie interference deals with a lot of questions and moving parts. Officials have to look at the contact between attackers and defenders as well as with the goaltender, and how defenders end up in the crease.

But it's also not a good sign when the national broadcast brings on its officiating guru, who is instant and steadfast in saying the goal should be ruled out, and the ruling goes against that observation.

Contact was made inside Nashville's crease between goalie and attacking player, and the Predators came out of it the worst for wear.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Goalie interference call changes Game 3 between Predators, Avalanche