Ahead of Monday's first-round, Game 2 matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman held a press conference and opened the floor for questions.
Topics such as the Penguins' ownership sale and another NHL premier event potentially coming to Pittsburgh were big topics of discussion.
According to a piece written on Mar. 31 - shortly before the conclusion of the regular season - by The Athletic's Shayna Goldman, the success rate for coach's challenges on goaltender interference this season was 35.2, which is the lowest success rate since 2018-19, when it was 26.4 percent. It is also a steep dropoff from last season, which saw a 55.4 percent success rate.
Goalie interference has been a source of frustration for many NHL teams, coaches, and general managers. But, according to Bettman, they're getting more right than ever before.
"You know, when it was first instituted, we had warned the coaches and managers that this isn't going to be crystal-clear in every situation," Bettman said. "It will be, sort of, a judgment. Whatever your view of the process is, I guarantee you it's much better in terms of getting it right than if we didn't have video replay. There's no question. But the only difference (is) it was originally designed for the most simple case: Somebody skates by the goaltender and hits his glove, but the officials on the ice don't see it. That would be something that's clear-cut when you pick it up in video.
"I think (NHL director of hockey operations) Colin Campbell and his people have done a great job with more and more cameras in the net (behind) the crossbar and overhead. We're going to get it right overwhelmingly. And we'll get a few calls where people will debate them. Depending on your interest in the game, you may have a different view."
LIVE GAME BLOG: Pittsburgh Penguins V. Philadelphia Flyers, Game 2 Follow along with the THN - Pittsburgh Penguins' LIVE game blog for Round 1, Game 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers
In addition, Bettman reiterated that it is on the coaches to make the right call when it comes to challenges and only contest calls that are blatantly obvious to overturn. He said that this was a point of discussion when meeting with NHL GMs last summer.
"I think the issue comes when people hope that a goal will either be confirmed or overturned," Bettman said. "In final analysis, you shouldn't be challenging unless the call is clearly and conclusively wrong one way or the other. And sometimes, strategically, you'll make the call to support your goaltender. Sometimes, you hope you'll get result you want. But, no, goaltender interference - and we've had a few video calls over the weekend, and they were all bang-on.
"Sometimes, the situation room has a view that isn't shown in real-time, or, sometimes, not at all, and we have to tweet it out. But the situation room does a good job. We went through an exercise a year ago with the general managers, and I think we showed 54 examples of what were, quote, 'controversial' coach's challenges. And the general managers, as a group, I think on like 48 or 50 of them, agreed that the right call had been made overwhelmingly, and the three or four where there was some disagreement, the room was pretty split.
"So, the rule of thumb should be that unless it's conclusively wrong, you shouldn't be challenging it."
'I Don't Think Anybody's Panicking Here': Penguins Discuss Keys To Managing Emotions In Stanley Cup Playoffs The Pittsburgh Penguins have excelled at "turning the page" all season long - and they will have to continue that trend heading into Game 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
Bettman doubled down when asked whether or not there was any discussion about a deviation or shift in interpretation of the rule.
"Listen... When you have a rooting interest or you are, in the moment, very passionate or frustrated, you may challenge a call," Bettman said. "But, in the final analysis, overwhelmingly, they get it right... and this final analysis, it's a judgment call. You know, offsides - other than when it comes to control of the puck - but offsides in terms of where the skate is is a whole lot easier to do because it's more black and white. It's a fine line.
"Goaltender interference is, again, a judgment call, which is why you go with the call on the ice unless it's conclusively wrong."
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