I can't BELIEVE this happened in an NHL game

I talk about Jonathan Kovacevic's (Montreal Canadiens) goal against the Tampa Bay lightning where the entire team thought the whistle had gone. But instead, Kovacevic was able to score an easy empty net goal from across the ice.
This is easily one of the most BIZARRE goals in NHL history.
#montrealcanadiens #habs #tampabaylightning #weirdhockeygoals #hockeyhighlights
Be sure to subscribe and turn on notifications for the latest content!
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS

[@bradmorris5797]

You nailed it at 2:00. Monty has to play the puck here or else he gets a delay of game. Tampa completely and prematurely gave up on the play before the whistle blew, and that's really the only bizarre thing about all of this.

[@finnray9792]

That was nuts, my coaches always said PLAY TILL THE WHISLTE.

[@garrickmusic]

Yeah, yeah, EVERYBODY’S coach has said “Play till the whistle.” These pros have likely spent 5x to 10x (or much more) the time in ice that you ever did, and at the highest levels. It was such a routine play with a whistle expected that everyone, including all the Canadiens players stopped skating too. I don’t even like either team, I hate them both actually, but for you to think you need to pile on your two cents to suggest that would have done anything differently if you were on the ice is laughable.

[@finnray9792]

LOL calm down there. i was just stating what my coaches said. Obviously only the tender and the ref knew what was going on here it was a very wierd play and yeah if i was on the ice i would have been duped too. you getting upset over this is more laughable than anything... @@garrickmusic

[@bl9531]

@@garrickmusiccalling out someone for giving his two cents 😂😂😂 … while giving your two cents … classic

[@garrickmusic]

@@bl9531 That’s fair, I was kind of thinking that to myself before I hit send, but I had already invested A few minutes typing it out on my phone that I just went with it. 🤣

[@bl9531]

@@garrickmusic a rather harsh response to a rather harmless remark … I personally don’t think it is laughable to suggest that most players would move toward the goalie on a play like that but you have the right to your opinion.

[@ontheroad5317]

You’re absolutely right, goalie had to play the puck or he would get 2-minute delay of game, since no attacking players were nearby. It’s weird how Tampa played that. Any time a shot from the point gets saved, at least 1 or 2 opponents will skate right up to the goalie looking for a loose puck. Tampa was lazy, and wanted the line change.

[@petra_kalbrain4426]

I’ll preface by saying, yes it should have remained a good goal.
However, I think it was unprofessional of the ref to just quietly and almost secretly motion with his hand to the Montreal players to keep playing. Like so many other times during a game, the ref should have vocalized it. “KEEP THE PUCK MOVING FELLAS!” or “PUCK IS STILL LIVE GUYS!”

[@Couche_Tard]

“Always play until you believe the play has been whistled”

[@TheMightyOdin]

The arena P.A started playing music thinking the play was dead.

[@leokeesic3657]

With nobody pressuring the puck the goalie would get a penalty, a delay a game if he didn't release the puck to his defenseman which he did

[@paulduffy8774]

that goal kill mtl was good goal though

[@mcdob69]

Caught the old dogs sleeping 😂

[@kohl4life]

itll happen again because its already happened before. accept more impressive. someone scored from there against a goalie. so it happens. i think it was Calgary against the oilers. i cannot remember. but i was like he scored from there. high glove on the goalie. couldnt see the puck.

[@toucantojo1022]

crazy a goalie can just hold the puck for 6 seconds and then drop it without anything happening. must be a new rule or something

[@Pxrcupine3]

2.5 seconds* which is not uncommon, no new rules here

[@annihilationHaven]

St Louis is having a really tough season... no improvement at all over last season, and now even with a sleeping Tampa team, he still loses in regulation.

[@imulippo5245]

DJ should have got assist. :)

[@JohnnySyn]

It's fun watching Tampa Bay fans get so mad at things they don't understand. LMAO!

[@sdt1sdt]

Great video, but I thought only the Toronto Maple Leafs could screw up such a storybook ending…

[@Hockeygeek35]

My only reaction is lol cuz the habs are my favourite team and nothing like this ever happened till now😂 just mad tht monty didnt go for the goalie goal

[@Pabl0Sanch3z609]

didn’t this happen in the battle of alberta 21-22 playoffs

[@keepitlinyear]

what if this happened in stanley cup finals OT game (in vancouver). would there be a riot?

[@CunuckHockey]

Oh you best believe we’d be on the streets 😂

[@baka_baca]

That ref 100% messed this up. Be that as it may that he was within his rights to not blow the whistle, when literally everyone else including other refs wander off the ice because everyone was sure the whistle must have been blown, it's time to call the play dead in my book. That ref should be fined for mismanagement of the game.

[@CunuckHockey]

I can see where you’re coming from, but it’s the players responsibility to play to the whistle imo

[@johnmccarty7876]

Without pressure it is the goaltenders job to play the puck, if he would have held it without being pressured it would have been a delay of game penalty.

[@LyonHall1]

there is no tampa player within 40 feet of the montreal goal. No pressure. No whistle. Good goal