Things have been rough for the Blues this season, and Tuesday was another bad night–however, not for the Blues, just for referee Tim Peel.
In the first period of the Blues’ 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers, St. Louis had their first goal of the game disallowed when a Robert Bortuzzo dump-in nailed Peel in his family jewels.
The puck then ricocheted towards the net and dribbled past Panthers’ goaltender Roberto Luongo.
Video
Luckily, NHL referee Tim Peel is 52 and is beyond his reproductive days pic.twitter.com/hwi8sYms9j
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 12, 2018
Bortozzo tried to shoot a harmless dump into the corner, but he struck Peel below the belt. The puck had enough force behind it to reach the net and knock Peel off his skates in the process.
Peel had to be helped off the ice by the Blues’ trainer.
Tim Peel got a round of applause when he skated off after taking a puck to the tender parts. A different referee collected the puck for him after–that's one heck of a memento. #STLBlues pic.twitter.com/D7XkWaULff
— b. (@youripides) December 12, 2018
After recovering in the locker room, Peel returned to finish out the game.
The goal was disallowed because any puck that deflects off an official into the net is automatically disallowed according to rule 78.5(iii). Unfortunately for Peel, the puck happened to deflect off of him in the most painful way possible.
Here's why the puck that went off the incredible Tim Peel and directly into the net didn't count for the Blues. #WhoKnew pic.twitter.com/jsqEofTw9u
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) December 12, 2018
Bortuzzo’s no-goal goal is one of the… Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
… nuttiest plays of the year.
The puck deflected into the net off referee Tim Peel's groin, and when they showed the replay on the jumbotron, the whole crowd recoiled and groaned in unison. #STLBlues pic.twitter.com/svfmgtMV3y
— b. (@youripides) December 12, 2018
Credit to Tim Peel for sticking to it and finishing out the game.
The Blues currently sit 6 in the Central Division and are 9 points off of the second wildcard spot. To compound this misery, former Capital Zach Sanford and Robert Bortuzzo fought each other at a Blues’ practice on Monday, December 10.
But the Blues are now 1-0 since their players fought at practice and they “scored” off of a referee’s groin. Maybe chaos is the best solution in St. Louis.
Headline photo: FOX Sports Midwest