Islanders rage over disallowed goal in shootout loss to Blue Jackets: 'It's just unacceptable'

In the fight for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, every point counts. And down the stretch of the season, the Islanders appeared to have snatched a crucial two points away from the Columbus Blue Jackets in dramatic fashion on Monday night.

Instead, a game-winning goal was ruled out and the Isles remained outside of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with just 12 games to play.

With the score tied and under 10 seconds to play, Kyle Palmieri drifted from behind the goal to right in front of the Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and was in the perfect position to redirect Alexander Romanov’s shot past into the Columbus net for a 4-3 lead.

However, referee Michael Markovic immediately began to emphatically wave off the go-ahead goal, judging Palmieri to have interfered with Merzlikins when the two came in slight contact on the edge of the crease just before the Romanov wrist shot.

After a conversation with the other referee and the linesman and then a lengthy review by the league office in Toronto, the call of no-goal on the ice was upheld.

“If Toronto is afraid to overturn calls made by their referee [on the ice], we don’t need Toronto," Isles head coach Patrick Roy said. "That's all I want to say."

The man at the center of the controversy was more blunt.

“I think it was f—-ing embarrassing," Palmieri said of the call.

The league’s explanation of the call: Palmieri impaired Merzlikins’ "ability to play his position in the crease prior to the goal.”

"I don't understand it," forward Bo Horvat said. "I don't understand what's the goal and what's not anymore, so I think that's the frustrating part, is there's no black and white... He kinda clipped the back of Palms' leg and [the goaltender] kinda stumbled but he still had plenty of time to make that save. And Palms a great tip and, to me, that's a goal all day long on the ice.

“I don't know what's good and what's not anymore and that was one of worst [no-goal calls] I’ve seen."

THE ISLANDERS SCORE WITH LESS THAN 10 SECONDS TO GO... but wait 😭

The play is under review. pic.twitter.com/rhLSuzkGRg
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 25, 2025

Good goal??? #Isles pic.twitter.com/joD38cUdjk
— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) March 25, 2025

The Islanders took the lead with less than 10 seconds left....then the goal was disallowed 😳 pic.twitter.com/4tHvygNyek
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 25, 2025

After a goalless overtime period, the Islanders had to settle for just one point when Columbus' Adam Fantilli scored the lone goal in the shootout sinking New York to a 4-3 defeat.

The single point was of no consolation.

“It’s just really getting frustrating when we're pushing for a playoff spot," Horvat said. "It’s obviously a game-winning goal late in the hockey game. And to me, it's just unacceptable.”

The shootout loss gave New York its 74th point on the season after 70 games played, but the decision kept them a single point behind the Montreal Canadiens, who have a game in hand, for the final Wild Card spot. On the outside looking in, the Isles are level with the Rangers on points but have played one fewer game and Columbus moved up to 73 points on 70 games with the win on Monday.

Palmieri was asked if he got an explanation for the call and said the referees told him there was "contact initiated in the crease and I guess the goalie needs five minutes to get reset and ready for the shot."

"It looked like he couldn’t wait to wave it off," he said of the referee.

Roy, the former legendary Stanley Cup-winning goalie himself, thought Merzlikins pushed Palmieri away and the forward was outside the crease. When asked how he would instruct players to play around the crease, the head coach pointed to the league.

"I don't know what to say anymore," Roy said. "I mean, if you're outside the crease I always thought that that was the place to be. That's all."

Topics

Islanders unhappy late goal was disallowed in shootout loss against Blue Jackets

With the clock winding down in regulation in a tie game, the Islanders appeared to get the go-ahead goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri redirected a shot from ...
Yahoo Sports - 19h
Fantilli, Marchenko lead Blue Jackets to pivotal win against Islanders

Adam Fantilli scored in regulation and then got the only goal in the shootout, leading the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders on Friday night to end a six-game skid. ...
Yahoo Sports - 20h
New York Rangers hand Columbus Blue Jackets a second straight shutout loss

Blue Jackets' explosive offense muted by Rangers, extending goal drought for Columbus to 129:31 over two-plus games.
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 16
Engvall gets tiebreaking goal in Islanders' four-goal 3rd period to beat Penguins 4-2

Pierre Engvall scored the tiebreaking goal in New York's four-goal third period, and the Islanders rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 on Tuesday night. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and two ...
Yahoo Sports - 6d
Blue Jackets Halt Six Game Skid; Roy and His Players Have Strong Words For The Officials

Adam Fantilli(22), Boone Jenner(2-SHG), and Kirill Marchenko(26) scored the goals for Columbus, and Elvis Merzļikins made 30 saves, including all three Islanders shootout attempts, to beat New York ...
Yahoo Sports - 12h
BASEBALL: Claremore loses second straight in Southeast Shootout

Through two games in the Southeast Shootout, Broken Bow hasn’t been kind to Claremore. After suffering their first loss of the season Monday, the Zebras couldn’t bounce back Tuesday, falling 8-4 to ...
Yahoo Sports - 5d
Jonathan Lekkerimaki scores deciding goal in shootout to give Canucks 4-3 win over Devils

Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored in regulation and got the deciding goal in the fourth round of the shootout, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Monday night. Pius Suter scored ...
Yahoo Sports - 20h
Columbus Blue Jackets stagger out of playoff spot with third straight loss: 3 takeaways

After another early goal allowed and not scoring for a second straight game, the Blue Jackets are out of a playoff spot and reeling: 3 takeaways
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 16
Horvat's overtime goal and Sorokin's 38 saves and 2 assists lift Islanders to 4-3 win over Canadiens

Bo Horvat scored his second goal of the game 3:37 into overtime to lift the New York Islanders past the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Thursday night for their third straight victory. Ilya Sorokin made ...
Yahoo Sports - 4d

Islanders rage over disallowed goal in shootout loss to Blue Jackets: 'It's just unacceptable'

Topics

Related

Islanders unhappy late goal was disallowed in shootout loss against Blue Jackets

Fantilli, Marchenko lead Blue Jackets to pivotal win against Islanders

New York Rangers hand Columbus Blue Jackets a second straight shutout loss

Engvall gets tiebreaking goal in Islanders' four-goal 3rd period to beat Penguins 4-2

Blue Jackets Halt Six Game Skid; Roy and His Players Have Strong Words For The Officials

BASEBALL: Claremore loses second straight in Southeast Shootout

Jonathan Lekkerimaki scores deciding goal in shootout to give Canucks 4-3 win over Devils

Columbus Blue Jackets stagger out of playoff spot with third straight loss: 3 takeaways

Horvat's overtime goal and Sorokin's 38 saves and 2 assists lift Islanders to 4-3 win over Canadiens

More from Yahoo Sports

AP source says Russell Wilson is signing with the New York Giants for 1 year

AP source says Russell Wilson is signing with the New York Giants for 1 year

NBA to mull European league proposal: report

NBA to mull European league proposal: report

Tennessee's Karlyn Pickens throws the fastest pitch in college softball history

More in Sports

Sources: Wilson reaches 1-year deal with Giants

Who are the toughest first-round opponents for the Capitals, Jets?

AP source says Russell Wilson is signing with the New York Giants for 1 year

AP source says Russell Wilson is signing with the New York Giants for 1 year

NBA to mull European league proposal: report