Referees make an embarrassing mistake to disadvantage the Leafs

During the first period of tonight's game between the Leafs and the Bruins, the referees happened to make an embarrassing mistake twice on an elementary rule in hockey. Twice during the period, the referees blew the whistle for a penalty against the Bruins while the Leafs had possession.

The second instance was much more noticeable. Leafs forward Mitch Marner took a high stick behind the net but kept the play alive with a nifty pass, and yet the referees were blowing the whistle repeatedly to call the penalty. Both times, the Leafs should've been able to get possession time with the extra attacker on the ice, but the play was called early.




It was incredibly bizarre to see this elementary mistake happen not once, but twice in one period. The second time, the players on the ice clearly knew they held possession and the play should've continued, and the referee even gestured to apologize for his mistake. Still, this is the NHL, and the referees should be held to higher standards. This mistake could ostensibly happen, but in this case the Leafs clearly kept possession, and it still happened twice.

Many fans and analysts have been calling for referees to be made available to the media to offer insight and explanations to the head-scratching calls we see on the ice. Similar to the NBA which offers an after action report, the NHL should do something, literally anything to hold their referees the slightest bit accountable for their consistent bizarre mistakes.