Connor McDavid came up clutch for the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night in Game 6, but during the contest, many believe he appeared to get away with a blatant penalty.
In the third period of Game 6, Connor McDavid reached up to grab a puck in mid-air along the board. McDavid fully closed his hand on the puck before dropping it down to the ice as the play continued.
"Looks like McDavid got away with closing his hand on the puck 😬"
While many assume that McDavid should have been called for a two-minute minor for closing his hand on the puck, when in actuality, the decision by the officials on the ice to not call a penalty was the right move.
According to the NHL's rulebook, more specifically rule 67.2, a player can only be penalized for closing their hand on the puck if they don't immediately drop it and continue to skate with the puck in their hand. For McDavid on Sunday night, while he did close his hand on the puck, he turned right away and dropped it to the ice.
"67.2 Minor Penalty – Player - A player shall be permitted to catch the puck out of the air but must immediately place it or knock it down to the ice. If he catches it and skates with it, either to avoid a check or to gain a territorial advantage over his opponent, a minor penalty shall be assessed for 'closing his hand on the puck'." The NHL's rulebook says.
McDavid scored a pair of goals in the game to help the Edmonton Oilers advance to their first Stanley Cup Final in 18 years where they'll face the Eastern Conference champions, the Florida Panthers. Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final is set for Saturday, June 8th at 8 pm ET.
