Referees overturn penalty after Trevor Zegras embellishes

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Josh tupper
March 30, 2024 (6:18 PM)

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Referees overturn penalty after Trevor Zegras embellishes to try and draw a penalty

Earlier this season Trevor Zegras was voted the most overrated player in the NHL by his peers. While it's clear that Zegras isn't popular with his peers, today it was the officials he wasn't making friends with. Especially after an embarrassing embellishment attempt that one official fell for.

With the Anaheim Ducks trailing the Edmonton Oilers, Zegras made an attempt to draw a penalty on the offensive zone. As Zegras carried the puck Ryan Nugent-Hopkins attempted to lift Zegras' stick. As the stick comes up, Zegras immediately grabs at this face.

The only problem? Nugent-Hopkins' stick doesn't come close to hitting him. Unfortunately for RNH at least one referee on the ice bought the sell job and called the penalty sending him to the box. That's when things got strange.

With the game during a TV time out the referees converged and made the decision to release Nugent-Hopkins from the penalty box. What is really strange is this play is non-reviewable and more often than not, the referees on the ice will confer before decision is made.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was called for high sticking Trevor Zegras. He never made contact with any part of Zegras's upper body even though the Ducks forward grabbed his face.

The penalty was rescinded during the TV timeout.

One thing's for sure though, Zegras won't be making friends with the officials and he's not likely to get the benefit of the doubt anytime soon.