:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27835749/screenshot_2014-01-31_at_11.16.51_pm.0.png)
Michigan State surprised many by fighting top-ranked Minnesota to a 2-2 tie on Friday night, taking the two teams to a shootout to determine which team would earn an extra point in the Big Ten standings.
Michigan State appeared to take a lead in that shootout on a goal by freshman Joe Cox, though video review ultimately determined that the goal was no good because the net had come off its' moorings prior to Cox scoring the goal. Though as the video of the play will show, Wilcox himself was the impetus for the net coming off the moorings.
Courtesy of CJ Fogler, here is video of the play:
The video makes it pretty clear that Cox would have scored had Wilcox not knocked the net off the moorings on the opposite side of the crease. Michigan State would eventually go on to win the shootout anyway.
Spartans head coach Tom Anastos said to SB Nation's Nate Wells after the game that the referees told him "the net was not in its place when the puck crossed the line."
Michigan State is no stranger to controversial decisions regarding plays like that. Rules regarding goals still being allowed even if the net moves in a way as to not affect the play were put into place the summer after a controversial no-goal call went against Michigan State in the first round of the 2012 NCAA tournament.
Though the stakes were not nearly as high in this situation, this seems like another type of play that would cause another change in policy. Otherwise, Adam Wilcox may have invented the most foolproof method of defending shootout attempts possible.
