Jets incensed that Haula's goal stood despite Neal slashing Hellebuyck's mask

Warning: Story contains coarse language

The Winnipeg Jets were furious with the controversial goal that was upheld in their overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Erik Haula's tap-in goal was allowed to stand despite the fact teammate James Neal broke his stick on Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck's mask moments before, and Jets captain Blake Wheeler didn't mince words when asked about it postgame.

"Come on, (he) fucking breaks a stick over his head," Wheeler told reporters, according to the Winnipeg Free Press' Mike McIntyre. "That’s not a goal. I don’t care where the puck is."

Hellebuyck was also miffed.

"I think it’s a terrible call," he said. You would think the video replay is there for that reason (to overturn calls like that). That’s just dirty. I can take a stick to the face. But just because I don’t throw my head back and make it obvious, I feel like I got kind of screwed.

"This is my fourth goal with my helmet, having an issue with it," the netminder added. "(There was a) goal with my helmet off, (a) goal with my buckle off, (and a) goal where a guy trampled me. Maybe I should start diving a little bit, (because) that’s just ridiculous."

Jets head coach Paul Maurice couldn't believe it, either.

"I don't know how there'd be an event that would be more egregious with goaltender interference, just beyond the spirit of the rule," he said. "The idea that a guy could clean a goalie out would be goalie interference, but a two-hand to the head wouldn't.

"What are we going to do with our goalies now?" Maurice continued. "The puck's loose in the crease, so swing away? We can’t have people swinging at our goalie’s heads. You can’t allow that to creep into the game."

The incident occurred in the second period of Thursday's game. The Jets tied the contest late in the third, but David Perron won it in overtime to give the Golden Knights the NHL record for expansion-team victories.