Stanley Cup Playoffs: FanDuel is refunding moneyline bets for Game 3

After the controversial finish to Game 3 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Sharks and Blues, FanDuel is refunding moneyline bets on the game.

The Western Conference Final between the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues has been a wild one. It’s been a back and forth battle so far, with the teams alternating wins. Game 3, however, saw the biggest controversy yet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sharks won in overtime in Game 3 after a hand pass was not called. And FanDuel isn’t happy about it, as they’re refunding moneyline bets.

Game 3 ended in the type of finish you’d expect to see in the WWE. Much like heels like Ric Flair often win after suspiciously not getting caught delivering a chair shot or convenient nearby object, the refs somehow missed San Jose’s dirty move.

Here’s a quick look at the goal in question. Shayna Goldman of The Athletic posted a far better angle of it if you’re interested. Timo Meier plays the puck with his hand, which led to Erik Karlsson’s overtime winning goal. This goal gave the Sharks a 2-1 series lead.

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By the rules, the goal probably shouldn’t have counted. While players are allowed to grab the puck with their hand or bat it in their offensive zone, it cannot be directed towards a teammate. Either the Sharks got the luckiest bounce in the world or Meier directed it towards Gustav Nyquist.

It’s possible the refs thought Jay Bouwmeester made contact with the puck, which likely would have negated the penalty. However, there’s no definitive angle that shows the Blues defenseman made contact.

The bigger issue at hand is the referees were not allowed to correct their mistake. Refs are only allowed to review specific plays. Hand passes are not one of them. Offsides and goalie interference are usually the only things that are reviewable.

This isn’t the first time the refs have made a controversial call in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s not even the first time the Sharks have benefitted from it. In Game 7 of their first round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Joe Pavelski’s head hit the ice hard. The referees gave Cody Eakin a game misconduct and San Jose proceeded to erase their 3-0 deficit in one long power-play.

There was also the infamous “offsides” call in Game 7 against the Colorado Avalanche. Gabriel Landeskog was somehow not an extra man on the ice, yet was still called offsides due to a technicality.

It’s pretty remarkable a betting website has a stronger moral ground than the NHL, isn’t it? This certainly won’t help quiet the “Sharks cheat to win” narrative either. Game 4 is on Friday night.