The Pittsburgh Penguins dropped their recent game to the Calgary Flames 2-1 on home ice at PPG Paints Arena but not before a controversial call happened. The Penguins seemed to tie the game with a few minutes left on the clock in the third period.
Tommy Novak had the tying goal, but it was immediately waved off due to goaltender interference and the captain Sidney Crosby knocked over Flames goaltender Devin Cooley. But one of the Flames defensemen pushed Crosby into Cooley which caused the contact.
But head coach Dan Muse decided not to challenge the play since if he had been wrong, the Penguins would have been on the penalty kill late, already down by one goal. The fans in attendance at the game let the refs know how they felt with a massive boo all around the arena.
And it made Crosby upset, so much so that he spoke to the media after the game about it and expressed displeasure with the call. Now Crosby might get a fine from the league for calling out the officials since that is usually how this goes, but Crosby had every right to be upset.
Sid on goalie interference ruling: “He sold it well.”
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) January 10, 2026
Crosby seems to think that the Cooley sold the contact in the crease on Novak's disallowed tying goal. Cooley did have time to get back up and try to make a save. But it is the fact that Crosby is pushed into the goaltender which is where the main point of contact came from.
Usually, if a player is pushed into a goalie by an opponent, the goal counts. So Muse had every right to try and challenge the call if he had wished to do so. But he chose not to challenge it which has left Penguins fans wondering why he did not do so.
But it would have been tough to be wrong and go on the penalty kill if the call had stood. There was a big likelihood that the call was going to stand so Muse chose to stay put and let it be. Ultimately the non-challenge was the main reason the Penguins did not at least get overtime out of this game.
But at the end of the day, the NHL still has no idea what goaltender interference is. They pick and choose when to call it even when it is in the wrong moments. It is what it is and the Penguins move on to a date with the Boston Bruins in their next game.