Don Sweeney wants to see the league change this.
Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney spoke with reporters on Monday after the club's deflating 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 4 on Sunday night.
There was a lot of anticipation leading up to this press conference. The Bruins were notably the victims of a controversial league decision. After Sam Bennett cross-checked Charlie Coyle into Jeremy Swayman and scored, the Bruins naturally challenged the play for goaltending interference. However, the league went against their rule in the rulebook and allowed the goal to stand.
When asked about it, Sweeney elected not to criticize the officials and league.
"We’re not in a position to be criticizing the officials and league-wide such. That's standard protocol. We’ll get fined as a result of that, so there’s no intention on my point to be critical.”
While Sweeney decided to take the high road with the officials and the NHL, he did call for the league to make a change.
"We should not be asking the coach after a game what they feel about officiating and what happens... The only ones that can answer that, don’t put out a statement. Just stand in front and answer the question."
Sweeney is not the first person to express that he wants officials and the NHL to speak with reporters about their decisions. Allowing the media to talk to them would potentially provide far more clarity on controversial plays. However, at this juncture, this does not happen.
The Bruins will now look to keep their season alive in Game 5 on Tuesday. Puck drop is at 7 pm ET.
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