Maple Leafs Head Coach Accuses The Referees of Rigging Penalties

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Skyler Walker
April 25, 2023 (10:05)

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The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs are currently battling it out in Game 4 of their first-round series, but the officiating has been a controversial topic for the Toronto media. Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe has not held back, claiming that the Lighting have manipulated the referees at times during the series.

Despite Toronto's frustrations with the officiating, Tampa has dominated the game, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from Alex Killorn and Mikhail Sergachev. The physicality of the game has also picked up, with scrums after the whistle becoming more frequent as the game progresses.

Late in the second period, with the score 4-1 in favor of the Lightning, another scrum broke out, leading the refs to take Lightning defender Sergachev and Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie off the ice.

Keefe was incensed on the bench, accusing the refs of making a questionable call on Brodie. Despite Toronto's objections, Tampa's strong performance has put them in a dominant position as the game heads into the third period.

"You just made that up! You just made that up Chris! You just f--king made it up man! You just f--king made it up! Unbelievable!"

The Leafs will need to regroup and find a way to overcome both their opponent and the officiating if they hope to turn the tide of the series.

Source: Bladeofsteel.com