Lane Hutson reveals what referee Eric Furlatt told him when he went to the penalty box after the missed call
Young Lane Hutson made an interesting revelation during a media availability in the last few minutes.
As you know, Lane Hutson was assessed a penalty last night that never should have been called, and then the referee went over to see him.
Late in the second period against the Minnesota Wild, the Canadiens were on the power play when Marcus Foligno ended up on the ice near the blue line.
At the time, Eric Furlatt signaled a minor penalty against Hutson, as if he had tripped his opponent.
The problem is that the replay quickly showed that Foligno mostly lost his balance, without any clear contact.
In a tight game, a call like that changes the momentum.
The Habs saw their power play evaporate and suddenly had to deal with a penalty kill at the worst possible moment.
This isn't a rules debate - it's just the kind of situation that makes everyone at the Bell Centre grumble.
Eric Furlatt went to see Lane Hutson
This morning, Hutson confirmed that Furlatt spoke to him after the play.
The referee reportedly acknowledged that it was a bad call and apologized to him directly before play resumed.
Hutson, true to himself, replied that the game moves fast and that it was okay.
Lane Hutson confirms referee Eric Furlatt apologized to him for the phantom tripping penalty assessed to him late in the 2nd period:
"He said 'sorry about that, that was a really bad call' and I said 'the game happens fast, it's all good'"
"He said 'sorry about that, that was a really bad call' and I said 'the game happens fast, it's all good'"
It's rare for a referee to acknowledge a mistake so openly, especially in an NHL game.
Furlatt isn't a rookie, and this small gesture will get people talking just as much as the call itself.
Fans want consistency, but they also want a minimum of humanity when things go off the rails.
Meanwhile, Hutson continues to build a season that draws attention, no matter the opponent. He currently sits second among defensemen in points with an impressive 52 points in 50 games, trailing only Cale Makar, who has 54.
Last year, he played 82 games with 6 goals and 60 assists for 66 points - numbers that explain why he's always at the center of the conversation.
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JANVIER 21|1772 ANSWERS Lane Hutson reveals what referee Eric Furlatt told him when he went to the penalty box after the missed call Was Eric Furlatt right to apologize to Lane Hutson? | ||
| Yes | 1702 | 96 % |
| No | 70 | 4 % |
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