Bednar sounds off on controversial goal: 'I don't give a shit, he's hurt'

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar was furious that Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson's goal stood despite goaltender Scott Wedgewood's injury in Thursday's 6-5 overtime win.

"The referee said (play) wasn't blown because we put their guy into Scott," Bednar said. "I said, 'I don't give a shit, he's hurt.' They're standing there and he's sitting there hurt, blow the whistle. If the puck's in the net front still, and they were hacking away at it and it goes in, I'd say, 'fine.' But as soon as the puck squirts to the corner, they gotta blow it dead.

"They do it all the time for regular players because of player safety. The rule would state that we have to touch it, but they don't follow that rule. They never follow that rule. Two games ago, we were in the offensive zone, one of their players was down in the slot. ... They blow it because the player's laying there hurt in a shooting lane. So, same thing for the goalie. If he's hurt, and he's not getting up, and they can evaluate that and they're standing right there looking at it, the whistle should go. It's just that simple."

Benson fell onto Wedgewood's leg after being bumped by Parker Kelly. Benson picked up the loose puck and scored on a wraparound. Samuel Girard went after Benson and a scrum ensued.

Bednar unsuccessfully challenged the play for goaltender interference.

"Did I think it was goalie interference? No, it's not goalie interference, because we bumped (Benson), and he turned the wrong way," he admitted. "And we bumped into him and he went into our goalie. But when the goalie's hurt, you blow the whistle. That's what happens all the time with players in every zone."

Bednar added: "For them to just let it go and then allow the goal is insanity to me. It's a player safety thing."

Bednar said that Wedgewood is expected to "miss some time."

Wedgewood has a .917 save percentage in seven games since being traded to the Avalanche on Nov. 30.