Bruins' Rask told play would have been blown dead if refs saw broken blade
Tuukka Rask apparently had reason to be upset.
The Boston Bruins goaltender was scored on by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday while dealing with a skate blade issue, and was visibly incensed that play was allowed to go on.
The officials assured him they just didn't see the broken blade.
Tuukka Rask on the broken skate blade leading to the 2nd Tampa goal: “The refs told me if they’d seen it they would have blown it dead.”
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) April 28, 2018
The NHL confirmed there is no rule for referees to stop play for a broken piece of equipment, regardless of whether the equipment belongs to a goaltender or a skater. The only exception here is goalie helmets.
According to NHL director of officiating supervision Stephen Walkom, there's some wiggle room on the official ruling.
"The refs will use common sense," Walkom told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "If Boston gets control of the puck, they will probably kill the play, but at no time will they disadvantage the opposing team."
The Bruins didn't touch the puck before Mikhail Sergachev deposited it into the net, but in the end, it didn't matter, as Boston cruised to a 6-2 win.