Interference Goes Unnoticed As Callahan Scores

While listening to Bruce Boudreau's post-game press conference, he said something that I had not noticed while watching Game 2 in real time or on replays. I went back and saw exactly what Boudreau was talking about:


As you can clearly see, Michal Rozsival steps in front of Ovechkin as he is attempting to help Tom Poti on defense. At this freeze frame, Ovechkin has not yet been bumped by Rozsival, but is about to hit full stride as he attempts to catch up with Ryan Callahan. Before Callahan takes off, he has about a step on Ovechkin.


In this frame, you can see Ovechkin gets off-balanced as there is contact with Rozsival. The speedy Callahan is now at full speed as Brandon Dubinsky takes the puck into the offensive zone.


It is too late for Ovechkin to catch up, and the Rangers have a 2-on-1. Ovechkin, Mike Green, and Viktor Kozlov can only watch the Rangers score the only goal of the series.


I'm not here to beg for a call on the contact away from the puck, but had Ovechkin not been bumped, it would have been a race between Callahan and Ovechkin to the slot and I know who my money is on. If Kozlov gets whistled for a nudge in the back that is apparently a cross-check, the trailing referee should be aware of Rozsival's intention as he cleverly cuts off Ovechkin's path back on 'D'.

You can decide for yourself here.