Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
The Islanders hung on Sunday to beat the Blue Jackets 1-0, rendering their wiped-off goal a matter of secondary discussion. But bet they’ll be asking the league for an explanation as to why, exactly, Bo Horvat’s goal at 12:06 of the third was waved off for interference following a Columbus challenge.
Horvat’s shot from the top of the right circle was turned aside by Jet Greaves, but the rebound popped out to a charging Anders Lee. Mathieu Olivier plowed into Lee and the two went into the crease, with the puck caroming off Olivier and trickling in.
After a long review, it was determined interference because, Lee said, referee Frederick L’Ecuyer determined the Islanders captain had gone in the crease on his own.
“Pretty sure I was trying to break,” Lee said.
Lee said — and based on the video, he seemed to be telling the truth — that Olivier had pushed him.
“I definitely got help going forward,” Lee said. “I don’t end up in the back of the net for no reason.”
Though coach Patrick Roy didn’t want to dwell on the subject, he made clear he found the explanation borderline implausible.
“They said that Anders went on his own. Well, we have, I guess I have a different opinion,” Roy said. “But why is Olivier was so mad? Because he knew he pushed Anders in the net and he knew he put the puck himself in the net. First it hit the stick before — anyway.
“But hey, goalie interference, if you don’t mind, can we change the subject?”
Ryan Pulock and Anthony Duclair were both described as day-to-day with lower-body injuries.
Without Pulock, the Islanders switched up their long-standing defense pairs, separating Adam Pelech and Tony DeAngelo for the first time in 56 games. Pelech played on the top pair with Matthew Schaefer, who switched to his off side, while DeAngelo played with Carson Soucy, whose 18:55 of ice marked his most playing time since being traded to the Islanders.
Adam Boqvist drew in for the first time since March 4, and just the second time since Jan. 26, skating 12:03 and notching a secondary assist on Horvat’s goal.
