Controversial call dooms Leafs in elimination loss

The Toronto Maple Leafs season got here to an excruciating finish Friday, as they fell to the Florida Panthers, 3-2, in extra time of Game 5. 

While the Leafs wanted a miracle to get again right into a sequence which they have been shedding 3-1, a controversial no-goal call in the second interval of Game 5 could have derailed their already-slim probabilities altogether. 

Trailing the Panthers 2-1 late in the second interval, the Leafs’ Morgan Rielly appeared to notch the equalizer, barely pushing the puck previous the objective line on a play that drew an official assessment. 

While it was not clear at first whether or not the puck had crossed the objective line, replays confirmed the very fact. Despite video proof displaying objective and whistles sounding after the play had concluded, although, officers dominated the intent of the closest ref was to blow the play lifeless earlier than the puck crossed the objective line, wiping the tally off the board.