AHL admits incorrect rules interpretation on OT goal

The American Hockey League admitted Friday that there was an incorrect rules interpretation on the only goal in Thursday night's Game 3 of the Calder Cup Final, a 1-0 overtime victory by Norfolk that put the Admirals one win away from the championship.

Mike Kostka broke up a goaltending battle between Norfolk's Dustin Tokarski and Toronto's Ben Scrivens when he got to the red line and dumped the puck in off the glass along the right wall. Scrivens went behind the net to play the puck, only to watch in horror as the shot hit a stanchion near the goal line and skittered sideways into the net for the only goal of the night.

However, the AHL admitted in a statement Friday morning that a Norfolk player was offsides and the goal should not have counted.

"We have spoken with Toronto Marlies management and confirmed that a rules interpretation error by the on-ice officials occurred on the Norfolk Admirals' overtime goal during Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals.

"On the play, a dump-in from center ice by a Norfolk player caromed off a stanchion and into the Toronto net. The correct application of AHL Rule 83.4 would have negated the Norfolk goal due to a delayed offside call.

"As AHL By-Laws do not allow for any change to the final result of a game based on an incorrect rule interpretation, the result of the game stands."