Disputed call helps Detroit snap Coyotes’ four-game win streak

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said he would call it goalie interference “10 out of 10 times.” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill labeled it the kind of goal “everybody wants to count.”

The discrepancy in perspectives wasn’t surprising given the sources and the manner in which the Red Wings rallied from a two-goal, third-period deficit for a 3-2, overtime win over the Coyotes on Thursday at Gila River Arena.

Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser took a brilliant feed from rookie center Dylan Larkin and beat Coyotes goalie Louis Domingue to the top shelf of the net at 2:08 of overtime for the game-winner, but the key moment of the came with 5:40 left in regulation.

After Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk sliced the Coyotes’ lead to 2-1 with a power-play goal at 11:50 of the third period (Datsyuk has 16 goals and 63 points in 46 games against the Coyotes), the Red Wings’ ageless center got things rolling on another power play after Coyotes forward Anthony Duclair was whistled for hooking.

Arizona Coyotes’ Louis Domingue, left, makes an initial save on a shot as he gets tangled up with Detroit Red Wings’ Justin Abdelkader (8) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. The Red Wings’ Gustav Nyquist would score on the play, and the Red Wings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

With Domingue on his back, Detroit left winger Gustav Nyquist poked a loose puck just over the goaltender’s stick and into the net to tie the game at 2-2. The Coyotes used their coach’s challenge on the goal, arguing that right winger Justin Abdelkader had interfered with Domingue because his leg was entangled and then on top of Domingue’s pad, but officials upheld the goal, ruling that no interference occurred until after the puck had crossed the goal line.

“Abdelkader’s leg is stuck in Domingue’s pad so he can’t get across,” Tippett said. “To me, it’s inhibiting the goaltender’s ability to make a save. I’d call it 10 out of 10 times.”

Blashill countered by offering a bit of perspective on the newly installed coach’s challenge.

“This challenge came to try to eliminate goals that were egregious penalties, not ones that were borderline,” he said.

The ruling wasn’t the only call that upset the Coyotes. Tippett called Antoine Vermette’s hooking penalty that led to Datsyuk’s goal “soft” and captain Shane Doan noted that on Vermette’s second-period roughing penalty, the referee had his hand in the air after the Coyotes gained control of the puck in the offensive zone, leading Arizona to believe the penalty was on Detroit.

Domingue skated to the bench for an extra attacker, but when Detroit finally got possession with an empty Coyotes net, the official still didn’t blow the whistle and Doan eventually got a flustered explanation.

“That was not an A game from the referees,” Tippett said.

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Coyotes and marked the first point they have failed to secure in the first three games of this seven-game homestand.

Despite the loss, the Coyotes are still 8-1-3 in their last 12 games and own a five-point lead over San Jose for second place in the Pacific Division.

Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 4:51 of the first period when he found a loose puck in the high slot and fired it past Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek for his 13th of the season. Ekman-Larsson has six goals and 13 points in his last 10 games.

Doan widened the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal with 1:10 remaining in the second period, giving him 10 goals in his last 11 games and giving the Coyotes’ 14 power-play goals in their last 39 chances (36 percent).

It all unraveled, however, on third-period hooking penalties to Vermette and Duclair. As he was asked about the disputed goal, Domingue said he felt it should have been called.

“There’s a guy in the crease tangled in my pads so for sure, it’s hard to move across,” he said. “But that’s not the problem tonight. We shot ourselves in the foot by taking penalties in the third and that gave them momentum.”

Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter

Related

Khaman Maluach fares well with Wembanyama matchup in Suns preseasonCardae Mack emerges as ASU grinds out win against Hawaii through weather delayASU-Hawaii resumes after 40-minute weather delay at halftimeSun Devils’ Cardae Mack scores out of wildcat package for 1st college touchdownASU football without starting center Tana Alo-Tupuola vs. Hawaii for personal reasonsDevin Booker ruled out for Suns’ preseason game vs. Spurs