Breaking Down the Failed Hand Pass Challenge

A hand pass occurs when a player uses their hand to direct the puck to a teammate. This can be done either by batting the puck or holding and passing it.

According to the NHL Rule Book, a player can use their hands to hit or bat the puck in the air to throw or push it along the ice. Play continues unless the player passes the puck to a teammate outside of the defensive zone, per judgement of the hockey officials.

“A player shall be permitted to do a hand pass to hit or ‘bat’ the puck in the air with his hands or throw or push it along the ice with the use of hands, and a play shall not be stopped unless in the opinion of hockey officials, either he has directed the puck to his teammate other than the defensive zone,” – Rule 79 of the NHL Rule Book.

In the midst of their 3-2 loss at Calgary on Nov. 21, after Flames' Yegor Sharangovich blasted a one-timer with the man advantage to make it a 2-0 game just under nine minutes into the second period, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette challenged for a hand pass prior to the goal.

The puck did make contact with Flames' Jonathan Huberdeau, who appeared to try to catch the puck before it deflected off of his glove and right to Matt Coronato.

This allowed the Flames to keep possession and work the puck around the zone before Sharangovich found the back of the Rangers net, past goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

New York Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette then challenged Calgary's power-play goal.

However, the challenge failed. The determined the Flames did not gain an advantage from the play, so the goal stood.

Adding fuel to the fire was the fact there were a couple hand pass calls after the fact, which specifically drew the ire of Rangers' center Vincent Trocheck.

The second-line center voiced his concerns with the officials rulings, which led to Trocheck taking a seat in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct at the 6:44 mark of the third period.

The Rangers’ second-line center let the officials hear his displeasure with their performance, which led to Trocheck taking a seat in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct at the 6:44 mark of the third period.

""He opened up his hand to play the puck, he goes to grab it and it bats off of his hand and goes right to the player. It got called dead two more times in the game -- the exact same plays. It gets called dead every time. Any time that ever happens on the ice, it gets called dead. I don't understand. I still don't understand.""

Peter Laviolette, postgame in Calgary

NHL Public Relations has since released a statement containing an explanation for the challenge's ruling.

"The Situation Room determined that the puck deflected off’s glove prior to’s goal, therefore, it was not deemed to be a hand pass. The decision was made in accordance with Rule 79.1," the statement read.

Many fans of both the Blueshirts and the NHL itself have since viciously voiced their displeasure over the call and ruling.