Golden Knights’ Pavel Dorofeyev has goal waived off and everyone is dumbfounded

The Vegas Golden Knights did not get off to a great start in Game 3 against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. They were down 2-0 in the first period when they got a powerplay and thought they had scored. Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev thought he knocked the puck in with his stick, but had the goal waived off. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski got the reasoning and everyone is stunned.

After a video review, the call on the ice stands and we have NO GOAL for Vegas pic.twitter.com/PZVYWR6nLc

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 25, 2026

The puck bounces into the air, and Dorofeyev cross-checks it into the net. At full speed, it is impossible to tell if he hits the puck with his stick or his hand. If the puck was hit with his hand, it is no goal. If it was hit with his stick, it is a goal, so long as his stick was below the crossbar. The goal was called off on the ice, and the call was upheld on video review.

Official word from the NHL Situation Room is they determined “Pavel Dorofeyev used his hand to bat the puck, which caused the puck to illegally enter the Colorado net.” pic.twitter.com/ycaRiyxhiz

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) May 25, 2026

“Video review determined Vegas’ Pavel Dorofeyev used his hand to bat the puck, which caused the puck to illegally enter the Colorado net,” the league said in a statement.

The ESPN broadcast of Sean McDonagh, Ray Ferraro, and officiating analyst Dave Jackson all assumed it was ruled off for high-sticking, a call they did not agree with. But they made this assumption because the puck clearly did not hit his hand. The good news for the Golden Knights is that they were still on the powerplay. That pretty much ended the good news.

Less than a minute of game time after the goal was waived off, Avalanche forward Jack Drury scored on a breakaway to make the game 3-0. Can the Golden Knights mount a comeback in the final 40 minutes? Or will they lose their first game of the Western Conference Final?

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