NHL's Inconsistency Nearly Costs Leafs Two Critical Points in Race for Atlantic Division Title

On Saturday, Leafs captain Auston Matthews had one of his most dominant games of the season, particularly in the third period where he kick-started the Leafs' comeback with a ridiculous short-handed goal.

His efforts would have been for nothing, however, had the league overturned the official's on-ice call of no high stick moments before he scored on the LA Kings' challenge.

The Leafs were on the right side of a high-stick challenge on Saturday, but were on the wrong end of a Mitch Marner high-stick on Sunday after Matthew Knies had his first-period marker taken off the board following a coach's challenge from the Anaheim Ducks.

In speaking with reporters following the game, Marner revealed the refs told him he needed to be a few inches taller for them not to overturn the call on the ice.

The Leafs eventually got the opening goal from Max Domi, who undressed Radko Gudas before roofing a backhand later in the opening frame. Riding momentum into the second, the Leafs were able to build a 2-0 lead before eventually securing a 3-2 regulation win and two very important points that gave them a three-point cushion atop the Atlantic Division.

Inconsistency from the NHL's Toronto office once again became the focus, and although the priority from the GM's meetings was surrounding goaltender interference, you can be sure that the overall inconsistency will be a hot topic heading into the playoffs, as the last thing a contending NHL team wants is to have a series decided by a questionable overturn or a goal that should not have counted.