Did Henrique Make It Back Onsides? Sharks Still Don’t Think So

Up 4-3 in the third period, the San Jose Sharks were looking to close out the Anaheim Ducks.

But then, Mason McTavish scored…or did he?

Mason McTavish ties it up for the #FlyTogether. Sharks challenge but lose the challenge. Power play for the Ducks pic.twitter.com/XwtAemmGOP

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) January 7, 2023

San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn was quick to challenge for offsides on initial entry, and it looked cut-and-dry in his favor.

Upon further review… it's called a goal?! Henrique looked offside.

Ducks tie it up, and now on the power play. #SJSharks 4, #FlyTogether 4 pic.twitter.com/OSw1vvaAjw

— TEAL TOWN USA – A San Jose Sharks Podcast (@TEALTOWNUSA) January 7, 2023

Keep in mind, offsides is a little different these days, going back to this Cale Makar goal last playoffs:

Cale Makar's goal is ruled onside 🤔 pic.twitter.com/5BzD7x3zEY

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) June 1, 2022

Makar (8) is ruled as not having possession of the puck on zone entry, which gives Valeri Nichushkin (13) time, until Makar touches the puck and regains possession of it, to get back on side.

So here, Fowler (4) pushes the puck in, and it’s on Adam Henrique (14) to get back onside before Fowler regains possession.

“I don’t think he gets back,” ESPN+ rules analyst and former referee Dave Jackson said of Henrique. “He only needs to break the plane, whether his foot is on the ice or not. But I don’t think that’s breaking the plane.”

Here’s another view of it, that’s Henrique at the bottom of the screen.

The NHL Situation Room in Toronto, however, ruled the play onside.

“I still think it was offsides,” Quinn said after the game, a devastating 5-4 OT loss.

The San Jose Sharks bench boss says he didn’t receive any explanation from the officials for the ruling. But Toronto must have thought that Henrique “broke the plane.”

“After reviewing all available replays, the Situation Room supported the Linesman’s call on the ice that there was no conclusive evidence to show that Cam Fowler made contact with the puck prior to Adam Henrique legally tagging up. Additionally, there was no conclusive evidence to show Fowler was in an off-side position before Henrique legally tagged up,” the NHL argued.