Avalanche HC Explodes Over Blown Call

The Colorado Avalanche head coach exploded over what he believed was a blown call.

Dec 19, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar watches the action from the bench during a game against the San Jose Sharks in the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The head coach of the Colorado Avalanche was fired up following the team's comeback victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Part of it was his team's effort against the Sabres, earning them two points despite being down three goals at one point. The other part was a play that resulted in a Buffalo goal.

Jared Bednar, head coach of the Avalanche, was not pleased with the Sabres' fourth goal of the night. Sabres winger Zach Benson scored on a wraparound after Avs' goalie Scott Wedgewood was laid on the ice injured. According to Bednar, he felt strongly that a whistle should have been blown before the goal was scored due to the injury, and he called out the officiating for missing the call.

"The referee said it wasn't blown because we put their guy into Scott (Wedgewood," he said. "I said, 'I don't give a s--t,'. He's hurt. They're standing there. He's sitting there. He's hurt. Blow the whistle! If the puck's in the net front still and they were hacking away at it and it goes in, I'd say 'fine.' But, as soon as the puck squirts to the corner, they gotta blow it dead. They do it all the time for regular players because of player safety."

The play is a very interesting one and it's easy to see why Bednar was upset while also seeing why the officials didn't stop the play. The Sabres have possession of the puck at the beginning of the play and also retain possession for another few seconds after Wedgewood is injured. The officials let the play continue and Benson scores the goal. As Bednar points out, the letter of the law dictates that the Avs needed to grab possession before a stoppage, but he also points out that officials rarely abide by this.

"The rule would state that we have to touch it," Bednar admitted. "But they don't follow that rule. They never follow that rule."

To Bednar's point, the rule book does have a clause about stopping play immediately in the case of serious injury. The only issue is that this is subject to officials' discretion, even in the case of a goaltender.

"When the goalie's hurt," he said. "You blow the whistle."

At the end of the contest, the Avalanche earned a win. Their back-up goalie is set to miss some time due to injury, and that is extremely unfortunate, but the play was a split-second decision that could have gone either way. Don't tell that to Bednar, though, because he doesn't give a s--t.

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