Controversial goal between Pittsburgh and Boston

At 17:44 of the second period between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins, Sidney Crosby scored a goal. The goal was initially waived off, but that was just the beginning of the controversy

The Boston Bruins were furious during Friday's game in Boston over what some pundits are stating that the NHL and their officials are blatantly favoring other teams.

Sidney Crosby's goal went to review, however, NBC's national broadcast crew thought that the goal on the ice would stand due to the fact that the official on the ice whistled the play dead. Despite most of the broadcast echoing their agreement, the NHL officials would overturn the call on the ice resulting in a good goal for the Penguins.

After the ruling, the Bruins called for a coach's challenge for goaltender interference, showing that Crosby appreared to give Bruins' goaltender Anton Khudobin a slash as the goaltender went to attempt the save. Despite the challenge, the officials once again ruled it as a good goal by the Penguins' captain. Bruins' insider Joe Haggert stated that the NHL has different rules when it comes to Crosby.

This should be overturned a second time, but it is Sid. So special rules always seem to apply, Haggerty wrote on Twitter.

The NHL released the following explanation as to why the goal was ruled a good goal.

At 17:44 of the second period in the Penguins/Bruins game, the Situation Room initiated a video review to further examine a play at the Boston net. Video review determined that the puck was entering the net as the referee was blowing his whistle.

According to Rule 38.4 (ix), "The video review process shall be permitted to assist the Referees in determining the legitimacy of all potential goals (e.g. to ensure they are "good hockey goals") ... This would also include situations whereby the Referee stops play or is in the process of stopping the play because he has lost sight of the puck and it is subsequently determined by video review that the puck crosses (or has crossed) the goal line and enters the net as the culmination of a continuous play where the result was unaffected by the whistle (i.e., the timing of the whistle was irrelevant to the puck entering the net at the end of a continuous play)." Good goal Pittsburgh.