MAJOR: The Montreal Canadiens are accused of cheating
When we hear that our favorite team is accused of cheating, it instantly sparks reactions, and we wonder where it could be coming from.
During the December 31st game in Tampa Bay, Johnathan Kovacevic scored from his own zone while the opposing net was empty. The home team players and goalie had all stopped playing. Here's the sequence:
It's simple; everyone in the building thought the play was stopped, including Kovacevic and even the music attendants during stoppages. A sign from the referee to the Canadiens' number 26 confirmed that the play was still ongoing.
That was enough for the hockey community to cry foul, suggesting cheating, as the referee clearly signaled to Kovacevic. However, what needs to be understood is that it's a common gesture that referees make to players when they're not sure if they heard a whistle.
There is, therefore, no cheating involved. The fault lies 100% with the Lightning players who did not confirm the information.
It remains the weirdest goal of the season, without a doubt.
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, should the referee have stopped the play upon seeing that all the Lightning players had stopped playing? | ||
| Yes | 185 | 19.7 % |
| No | 754 | 80.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
