No one was happier than Steven Lorentz during the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Colorado Avalanche clash. “I’ll take that bounce,” Lorentz said in a post-match interview with a smile plastered across his face. And why wouldn’t he? How many in your career does an accidental fall give you the puck on a platter, with barely any defensemen to cover the goaltender?
So Lorentz took the shot during the counter-attack that broke the 1-1 stalemate between the Maple Leafs and the Avalanche. Yet, you won’t be wrong to call that counter-attack a surprise attack because no one saw it coming. “Oh man. You can’t possibly make this up,” said one commentator after he saw referee Kelly Sutherland fall on the ice, inadvertently setting up the Maple Leafs goal.
The game-changing mistake happened when Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit “air-mailed” the puck in a desperate clearance attempt. However, Sutherland lost his balance and fell. Despite his effort to avoid the puck, it hit him square on the torso, giving Lorentz the chance he needed. Needless to say, Colorado Avalanche fans and even the hockey community at large weren’t pleased.
“Refs impacting the play are always so frustrating to watch,” complained one fan, who saw the puck initially rise in the air, as Sutherland tried to duck under in vain. Even the commentators didn’t know what to make of it. “I think he thought that puck was going high… I mean, that’s the only thing I can think of,” explained one of the commentators.
THE REF FELL, STOPPED THE PUCK AND SET UP A LEAFS GOAL pic.twitter.com/6ffQoPcOFU
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 20, 2025
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