Tampa Bay controversy: Lightning players, fans blame referees for three costly sequences

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Jeff Drouin
June 27, 2022 (2:01 PM)

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On this day after the loss in the Stanley Cup Grand Final, there are many reactions among the players and fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

See an excerpt from a TVA Sports piece:

"The Tampa Bay Lightning were not spared from officials' decisions in the Stanley Cup Final. That was once again the case Sunday night in the sixth matchup of the series."

Lightning forward Pierre-Édouard Bellemare actually started setting the table for this narrative, even before his team was eliminated.

See what he told reporter Renaud Lavoie, before the start of the third period of yesterday's game:

"We have to beat the other team and the referee" - Bellemare, who was clearly very frustrated with the referees.

One of the sequences that is hugely criticized by Tampa Bay Lightning players and fans alike is just the play that allowed Artturi Lehkonen to give the Avalanche the lead (which ultimately became the championship winning goal):

"The @TBLightning had possession of the puck and the officials should have stopped the play, but didn't. That's why Steven Stamkos was calling for the goal to be disallowed. @TVASports" - Renaud Lavoie

There's also this:

"Earlier in the game, Nathan MacKinnon tied the game and the Lightning complained that there should have been a stoppage in play before the puck crossed the red line." - TVA Sports

And let's not forget the Avalanche's infamous "too many players" miss by the referees on Nazem Kadri's game-winning goal in overtime in Game Four (which was harshly criticized by head coach Jon Cooper, among others)

"Also in this video, if you look closely at the clock, it stops a split second just before the clearance is finally accepted by the referee.

Those clocks on the screen are directly related to the arena timekeeper, so even they thought it was going to be disallowed. #StanleyCup" - Nick Murray

In short, a lot of complaining and criticism of the officials on the Tampa Bay side, but in the end, it seems clear that the better team won. The Avalanche were simply dominant.