Officiating row erupts after Lane Hutson-Brayden Point incident in Game 5
The NHL officiating debate took center stage after Game 5 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, April 29. A second-period incident involving Brayden Point and Lane Hutson triggered strong reactions across the hockey community. Point appeared to high-stick and then deliberately slashed Hutson’s legs, yet officials made no call.
Tampa Bay later scored in the same sequence, adding to the frustration among Montreal fans and analysts. Analyst Matt Drake posted the clip on X and criticized the decision. He called the missed call “atrocious officiating,” a view echoed widely online.
However, another uncalled moment happened when Nikita Kucherov appeared to slash Zachary Bolduc. MORE: Coach Jon Cooper calls it ‘disappointing’ as Lightning fall to Canadiens in Game 5 Social media quickly filled with complaints, with both sides debating over the missed officiating call. Fans have accused referees of missing repeated physical plays across multiple games.
“Ya, how did they miss the stick coming up after he was elbowed in the head. Stop being soft and bias. You look like a fool,” a fan said .
“Bolduc got slash, punch and elbowed all 3 no calls,” one fan wrote . “Delusional Montreal fan. Typical.