DALLAS — On Sunday, the world`s biggest soccer match, El Clásico, took place in Spain, where Barcelona defeated archrivals Real Madrid 4-3, virtually sealing the league title. It was a spectacular game.
Meanwhile, the most significant `soccer` moment in North America occurred on the ice. Alex Petrovic`s controversial kick-in goal was upheld, a play widely described as ugly. This goal shifted momentum in favor of the Dallas Stars, leading to their 5-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets.
The video review for Petrovic`s decisive goal at 3:51 of the third period was lengthy, sparking post-game debate between head coaches Scott Arniel and Pete DeBoer (unsurprisingly, the coach of the losing team opposed the call, while the winning coach supported it). The play also angered Jets fans and generated significant media attention.
It was indeed a pivotal moment.
However, the Jets failed to respond effectively.
Just 49 seconds after the disputed goal, on the very next shift, Mikko Rantanen extended the Stars` lead to 4-2 at 4:40 after the Jets struggled to defend a three-on-three rush. Further defensive breakdowns by Winnipeg allowed Wyatt Johnston to score at 14:06, making it 5-2 and sealing the win for Dallas, who bounced back strongly after their 4-0 loss in Game 2 on Friday.
