The questionable and costly overtime penalty against the Avalanche on Tuesday in Nashville is “defendable” by the rulebook, ESPN rules analyst Dave Jackson told The Denver Post on Wednesday.
Jackson, a retired NHL referee living in Highlands Ranch, said referee Dean Morton likely called the Avs’ bench minor for too many men because winger Mikko Rantanen jumped onto the ice too early — before he was eligible to change for center Nathan MacKinnon. The primary television game feed used by Altitude showed what appeared to be a good change by Rantanen and MacKinnon, but it began well after Rantanen jumped onto the ice, stood against the boards, and ultimately gained possession of the puck when MacKinnon was on the bench.