NHL referee inadvertently plays role in Maple Leafs goal vs. Avalanche

NHL referee Kelly Sutherland inadvertently played a key role in a Toronto goal during the Maple Leafs' 2-1 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.

The Maple Leafs were killing a penalty for too many men on the ice early in the third period when Simon Benoit cleared the puck out of the zone. It headed toward Sutherland, who tried to get out of the way, went down and was hit.

Toronto's Steven Lorentz, who was looking to go off for a line change, saw the puck squirt loose, scooped it up, skated into the Colorado zone and ripped a shot past goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. The short-handed goal put the Maple Leafs up 2-1 and held up as the game-winner as Toronto goalie Joseph Woll made 38 saves.

Give Kelly Sutherland an assist on the Lorentz goal here, what a wacky sequence#LeafsForever | #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/9VC8HzLTbS
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 20, 2025

"I'll take that bounce," Lorentz told reporters. "It seems like I had a couple bounces go the other way this year, so we'll take that one."

According to NHL rules, a goal is disallowed only if the puck goes directly off an on-ice official into the net.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maple Leafs goal accidentally aided by referee in win vs. Avalanche

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