William Nylander Surprised After Pontus Holmberg’s Empty Net Goal Deemed Good In Maple Leafs’ 5-2 Win Over Blackhawks

Nylander appeared to say, “I thought for sure it was offside,” when Holmberg’s empty netter was called a good goal.

When Pontus Holmberg scored on the empty net in the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks, all William Nylander could do was wag his finger.

With less than two minutes left in the third period, John Tavares picked up the puck just after it came out of Chicago’s zone and circled back in to find Nylander, who then found Pontus Holmberg for the empty net to seal the 5-2 win for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, the Blackhawks would challenge the goal for offside after Nylander appeared not to exit the zone before Tavares reentered it. To everyone’s surprise, the referees didn’t call the goal back, allowing Holmberg his third goal in the last two games.

And when the cameras panned to Nylander, sitting beside Holmberg on the bench after the goal, his lips read: “I thought for sure that was off.”

As did likely everyone else in the arena and those watching from home.

“As it was going along, (Toronto’s video coach Jordan Bean) kept saying that it’s looking like it’s a goal,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said after the win.

“And then he was clear on it before (the referees) made the decision that it was a good goal. So we were fortunate there to get that one.”

Holmberg’s fifth goal of the season helped Toronto win its first regulation game in Chicago against the Blackhawks since Feb. 12, 2003, over 22 years ago. That win moved the Maple Leafs into first in the Atlantic Division with 72 points, one ahead of the Florida Panthers.

“I thought we picked it up after the first period and started to get some O-zone time,” Berube said.

“I thought, in the second, we got the offense going. The power play got us a big goal at the end there, which was important. I thought the third period was fine. Did what we had to do to win the game.”

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