‘F**king Embarrassing’ WATCH: Refs Steal GWG from Isles, Room Fumes

ELMONT, N.Y. — Kyle Palmieri scored what should’ve been a game-winning goal on Monday night inside UBS Arena with 9.6 seconds remaining. Instead, referee Michael Markovic, in his 308th career game as an official, made the most controversial call of his career.

Palmieri came from behind the net to the front. On his way, on the outside edge of the crease, he brushed along Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. Merzlikins threw a punch with his glove at Palmieri as he set up well above the crease. There, he deflected it home for what should’ve been a game-winning goal.

The Islanders took the lead with less than 10 seconds left….then the goal was disallowed 😳 pic.twitter.com/4tHvygNyek

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 25, 2025

Markovic then emphatically waved it off on the ice, citing goaltender interference. Veteran official Wes McCauley, known for being gruff and letting most things go, decided not to overrule his partner and put the fate of the game into Toronto, where all reviews go.

There, as the Hockey Hall of Fame Writer Kevin Paul Dupont would describe it, NHL Forensics occur. After review, Toronto shrugged their shoulders amid the most pivotal game of the season for the Islanders and Jackets, simply stating “Nothing conclusive.”

The goal remained disallowed, allowing the Jackets to win 4-3 in a shootout, saving their season. The loss drops the Islanders down below a 25% chance to make the playoffs.

Room Reacts:

In the room, Palmieri was as animated as possible:

“I think it was a f**king embarrassing.” Then, asked about any explanation, said this, “He [Markovic] said there was contact initiated in the crease, and I guess the goalie needs five minutes to get reset and ready for the shot. It looked like he couldn’t wait to wave it off.”

Alexander Romanov, who sent the initial shot, sat at his locker dumbfounded. Speaking to me, he said, “Could’ve been a great two points. But they were stolen.”

“I thought they were looking for high-sticking. Goalie interference? That’s absurd. I don’t know what to say. Ask the ref.”

Bo Horvat echoed the sentiment. He blasted the league, calling it impossible to play near the crease anymore.

Then, he called out the league for mixed messaging: “They say they want more scoring. They say they need more offense. Then, this. To me, I just don’t understand it. I don’t understand what’s a goal anymore.” Horvat then called it “One of the worst no-goal calls I’ve ever seen.”

Horvat then pointed out Merzlikins’ glove punch of Palmieri. He went on, ragging the league and officiating for inconsistency that cost the Islanders a win.

Roy Blasts League:

To top it all off, Head Coach and Hockey Hall of Fame Goaltender Patrick Roy lambasted the league and its officiating. Roy stayed composed, but it’s clear how he felt about the call..

After pointing out Palmieri’s deflection came from well outside the crease, he turned his ire toward the league.

“If Toronto is afraid to overturn calls made by the referee, we don’t need Toronto.”

Roy then rightly pointed out his team collapsed down the stretch in the third period, allowing the Jackets to dictate terms and let the game get to that situation. Then, when asked how players should play in front of the net, Roy went off once more:

“You should all the league and then tell our players. I don’t know what to say anymore. If you’re outside the crease, I always thought that’s the place to be.”

Then, he paused and thought back to Thursday night against Montreal. Juraj Slafkovsky body blocked Sorokin from the net. The league deemed that a-ok after he challenged, another time where Toronto did not overturn a call.

“Are you telling me that Slafkovsky’s goal was not worse than what we saw tonight? I’m leaving it to this.”

After that, Roy critiqued the effort in the third again. But the message from the room is clear. They felt they won the game, and they probably did, too. The call defied all precedent from this season and just shows that no matter what, the NHL will not ever clearly define one of the key rules in the game.

The Islanders now remain one point back of the Canadiens with one more game played, while the Blue Jackets now trail them by just one point.