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Devils Stefan Noesen Furious, Questions What Goaltender Interference Is

New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen furiously questions goaltender interference after an overturned goal against the Los Angeles Kings.

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NEWARK, NJ - SEPTEMBER 22: New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen (11) takes a face-off during a preseason NHL game between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils on September 22, 2024 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen was called for a goaltender interference infraction in the second period of Wednesday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Kings.



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The call came in a crucial moment when the Devils were trailing by a goal. Andre Lee scored his first NHL goal to give the Kings a 1-0 lead in a tight game through the initial 25-plus minutes. Then, Timo Meier swept a rebound past the pads of Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper and over the goal line with Noesen at the top of Kuemper’s crease.

For a moment, the Devils believed they tied the game. However, Kings head coach Jim Hiller initiated a coaches challenge for interference, and won.

According to the NHLs Situation Room, “Video review determined that New Jersey’s Stefan Noesen impaired Darcy Kuemper’s ability to play his position in the crease prior to Timo Meier’s goal. According to Rule 69.3, ‘If an attacking player initiates contact with a goalkeeper, incidental or otherwise, while the goalkeeper is in his goal crease, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.’”

Despite the explanation Noesen was given, he remains confused and angry about what goaltender interference is.

“I’ve said it once before, I’ll say it again. I have no idea what the hell goaltender interference is. I’m done guessing. I’m done with this. It’s kind of dumb,” Noesen said to the media following the Devils’ loss on Wednesday evening. “At some point, they gotta figure it out. The explanation I was given was I was in, and then I was out. [Kuemper’s] stick was in there. But, you clearly see him bring the stick out with me. Dumb. I’m over it. It’s gonna piss me off even more just thinking about it.”

Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe wasn’t nearly as worked up by the overturned goal. Perhaps, that’s because Keefe was half-expecting a challenge, and once it was initiated, had an idea of where things were going.

“We watch every single one of these that goes on around the league,” Keefe explained. “Once I saw it, I had a pretty good sense they would challenge it. It’s one of those that can really go either way, depending on how they want to interpret it at the time. I think you could explain it one way or the other. There was a bump there, and those don’t usually go your way.”

There’s certainly an argument to be made that the overturned goal changed the momentum of the game. The Devils finally got on the board after Kuemper stood up all 14 shots New Jersey threw at him in the first period. With less room on the ice in the middle frame, the Devils were seemingly gaining momentum which led to the goal, for just a moment.

After the Devils learned the goal wouldn’t count, they finished the second period with just six shots on goal.

It’s certainly not the reason they lost. There are other factors that go into the Devils’ three-game losing streak on the road at the moment.

However, Noesen is now seemingly the spokesperson for the league-wide confusion with goaltender interference. The NHL somehow, someway, needs to be able to provide its players with a clear and consistent explanation.

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