ELMONT, N.Y. — The Colorado Avalanche did plenty to lose for only the second time in regulation Thursday night at UBS Arena, but the league-leading club was yet again not happy with a rule interpretation. Kyle MacLean scored during a goalmouth scramble 5:56 into the first period of a 6-3 victory f or the New York Islanders. The Avs, which fell to 19-2-6 on the season, immediately challenged the goal for goaltender interference. After a lengthy review, MacLean’s goal was confirmed and the Avs were assessed a penalty for the failed challenge. “I think goalie interference is a joke,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “If that’s not goalie interference, I don’t know what is. You can’t just shove the goalie’s pads out of the way and then create a loose puck. “I’m getting them all wrong when I’m looking at challenges around the league, so I’m kind of out of my mind. I’m not going to challenge unless it is obvious. But to me, it was obvious.” The play started with MacLean trying a wraparound shot from behind the net, but he lost control of the puck. It went to defenseman Ryan Pulock near the right point for a one-timer, and that’s when the chaos started. Mackenzie Blackwood made the save, but didn’t cover the puck completely. At one point, eight different skaters were either in the blue paint around Blackwood or within a stick’s length of the scrum. Islanders forward Marc Gatcomb’s stick actually get stuck inside Blackwood’s leg pads during the melee. MacLean fished for the puck Blackwood, and appeared to push the goaltender’s pad out of the way with his stick. At one point, referee Francois St-Laurent pointed from behind the net. The light behind the cage went on, which typically signifies a goal. Islanders play-by-play announcer Brendan Burke thought St-Laurent was pointing for a good goal. Then the puck popped out to the right of the net. MacLean collected it, spun and shot it off the near post and in while Blackwood was still laying on the ice. “The puck hit me kind of high, but then went straight down like in that triangle between your pads,” Blackwood said. “It was rolling backwards, so I had to spin or else it was going to roll through me and the other guy crashing was going to get it behind me. I spun, and then it just turned into chaos. “There were sticks pushing me forwards, backwards, sideways. I was just like … I don’t know.” The league’s official release on the review stated the following: “Video review supported the referees’ call on the ice that incidental contact on Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood occurred as New York players were making a play on a loose puck and, therefore, it did not constitute goaltender interference,” the release said. According to Rule 69.7, “In a rebound situation, or where a goalkeeper and attacking player(s) are simultaneously attempting to play a loose puck, whether inside or outside the crease, incidental contact with the goalkeeper will be permitted, and any goal that is scored as a result thereof will be allowed.” The Avs clearly had an issue with the word “incidental” in this situation. MacLean’s attempt to dig for the puck appeared to knock Blackwood backwards. Related Articles Avalanche point streak ends at 17 games with 6-3 loss to Patrick Roy’s Islanders Keeler: While Broncos, Nikola Jokic own Denver’s eyeballs, Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon quietly putting up best season in Colorado history Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche keep white-hot start rolling with home win against Canucks Another sign of this Colorado Avalanche team’s dominance? It kept rolling without Valeri Nichushkin Shots on goal are harder to come by in the NHL these days, but not for the Colorado Avalanche Then there was Gatcomb, attempting to dislodge his stick from Blackwood’s leg pad as the puck was entering the net. This wasn’t the first time this season that Bednar or his players were miffed at the results of an official review. There were multiple instances before Thursday, the most notable being when captain Gabe Landeskog had a goal taken away at Utah because of an interpretation of the offsides rule that Bednar refuted multiple times in the aftermath. “Let’s see,” Landeskog said, before taking a moment to pause after being asked about the goal. “Well, I didn’t know we were allowed to push the goalies’ pads out of the way. Let’s start there. “Yeah, I think that was a terrible call. That’s the bottom line.” Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis. ...read more read less