Any means is good to prevent the puck from getting into his net, but Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman could have gone about it in a less painful way.
On Friday, during his team’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Sweden, he lost his footing and had his face pressed violently against goaltender Alex Lyon’s cage. Because the net came loose from its attachment, the throw Mitch Marner had just taken did not count as a goal.
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The officials watched the video recording to confirm the decision on the ice. Walman’s action was ruled accidental, but as scoutingtherefs.com pointed out, National League rules state that a goal should have been given because Toronto had just had a chance to score and the puck appeared to end up between the posts.
That was a goal. At least that’s how it should have been.
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman hit a toe-pick on the goal line, crashed into his net and knocked it off the mooring just before a shot from Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Here’s the rule: https://t.co/VObpT5a7ue pic.twitter.com/E7IW6tutvi
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) November 17, 2023
At this point in the second period it was still 0-0, but in the end the Maple Leafs won 3-2.
The rest was much less pleasant for Walman, as he remained on the ice for a long time after receiving the metal bar to his head. He left the meeting and the Wings later confirmed he would not be returning.