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Wednesday’s Hot Clicks: Puck Bounces Off Referee’s Crotch and Into Goal From Impossible Angle

You couldn’t do this if you tried.
Dan Gartland|
Wednesday’s Hot Clicks: Puck Bounces Off Referee’s Crotch and Into Goal From Impossible Angle
Wednesday’s Hot Clicks: Puck Bounces Off Referee’s Crotch and Into Goal From Impossible Angle

You couldn’t do this if you tried

Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo thought he had scored the luckiest goal of his life. 

Early in the first period last night against the Panthers, Bortuzzo tried to dump the puck into the zone but instead lobbed it right toward referee Tim Peel. Though Peel tried to get out of the way, the puck nailed him right where it hurts and took a miraculous bounce straight past Roberto Luongo and into the net. 

It would have been a miracle goal, except the NHL has a rule that applies specifically to this case. Well, not the hitting-the-ref-in-the-crotch part, but there is a rule that says any puck that deflects off an official and directly into the net cannot be ruled a goal. 

“I kind of double-clutched it, so I changed my angle,” Bortuzzo told reporters after the game. “I caught ‘Peelsy,’ and I felt bad to be honest. I heard the horn and was shocked it went in—super-bizarre play. I didn’t know the rule obviously, so I put my hands in the air. I don’t think a lot of people knew the rule.”

Peel was, understandably, shaken up after the play and was forced to collect himself in the dressing room. He did return to the game later, though. 

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Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.

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Dan Gartland
DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland writes Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, and is the host of the “Stadium Wonders” video series. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).

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