Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews unhappy with delay-of-game penalty

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is pushing back on the third-period penalty called against him in Monday's loss to the Calgary Flames.

Matthews was called for delay-of-game midway through the final frame with his Maple Leafs trailing by one goal — the seventh penalty assessed to Toronto and negating a power play that had only just begun for the Maple Leafs.

On-ice officials determined that the 29-year-old played the puck with his glove following a faceoff, which results in a delay-of-game penalty per NHL Rule 67.2.

"I think you've got to be sure 100 per cent," he said to reporters after the game in Calgary. "I fall.

I don't even know what exactly the rule is, if you have to cover it or whatever, but I've got a lot of respect for the refs. They're going to make what they feel is the right call.

They're not perfect, but obviously in that situation, I feel like you really gotta be sure.

Matthews said he wasn't given an explanation after his penalty.

The official rule states that a player shall be assessed a minor penalty if he attempts to win a face-off by batting the puck with his hands.

The two players involved in the actual face-off (the centres) are not permitted to play the puck with their hand without incurring a penalty under this rule until such time as a third player (from either team) has at least touched the puck. Once the face-off is deemed complete (and a winner of the face-off is clear) hand passes shall be enforced as per Rule 79 – Hand Pass.

Head coach Jim Hiller told reporters post-game that the referees explained that the puck hit Matthews' glove, and that's why he was assessed the penalty.

"He said it hit his glove, and that's the rule," Hiller said. "If it's down and he uses his glove.

So I'm not going to argue with him. He made the call.

He saw it closer than I did.

Though the Flames did not score during those two minutes of 4-on-4, they did score two empty-net goals to win 5-2.

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