Lauko: Not sure what I'm 'supposed to do' on questionable call
Boston Bruins forward Jakub Lauko expressed confusion postgame at the goaltender interference penalty he received early in the third period of a 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday night.
Lauko was driving to the net and had Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad beat, but Ekblad appeared to guide Lauko into Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Jakub Lauko gets two minutes for goaltender interference after crashing into Sergei Bobrovsky. pic.twitter.com/qeCG0pzqVY
- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 11, 2024
Lauko was livid about the penalty.
Lauko was NOT pleased with that call. pic.twitter.com/TfXgLuFyUv
- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 11, 2024
The fans at Boston's TD Garden were equally perturbed, as they resorted to throwing beer cans and water bottles onto the ice.
Bedlam in Boston pic.twitter.com/wAM1D7RnIG
- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 11, 2024
Panthers blue-liner Brandon Montour scored on the ensuing power play to give his club a 4-0 lead.
Lauko insisted he didn't have any other options on the play he was whistled for.
"I was trying to get to the net and just ended up in the goalie," Lauko said postgame. "I felt the defenseman was holding me and kind of pushing me inside. So, I don't know, like what am I supposed to do to avoid it?"
"I don't know, what am I supposed to do to avoid it?"
- NESN (@NESN) May 11, 2024
Jakub Lauko on the 3rd period penalty call in the Bruins 6-2 loss to the Panthers.#NHLBruins | https://t.co/1riFRo7BIX pic.twitter.com/eFvXZArsrh
The Panthers scored four power-play goals in the blowout victory, which gave them a 2-1 series lead in the second-round playoff matchup. Florida struck twice while Boston was attempting to kill off a double-minor in the second period.
Lauko got a measure of redemption less than two minutes after he emerged from the penalty box when he scored his first career playoff goal. The 24-year-old was playing his first game of the series, his third of this postseason, and only his sixth career playoff game.
His goal cut the Panthers' lead to 4-1, and Jake DeBrusk reduced the lead to two about three and a half minutes later. But Florida notched a pair of tallies - including an empty-netter - with under two minutes remaining to put the game out of reach.
Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET in Boston.
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