Sabres' Granato: 'Shocking' decision to allow Islanders' game-winner

Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato was left baffled after referees reversed course to allow Hudson Fasching's controversial game-winning goal in a crucial contest Tuesday against the New York Islanders.

Fasching had a puck deflect off his leg and into the net with 12 minutes left in the third period. It was originally blown off for a kicking motion, but after a review, the goal was awarded. It stood as the decider in a battle between two clubs fighting for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

"It's shocking. I don't know how to explain it, I didn't get an explanation," Granato said, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. "So I don't have an explanation for it. I've not seen that happen."

Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen thought it was kicked as well.

"It happens fast in the game. But, for sure, to me it looks like a kicking motion," he said. "But in the end, I can't say without the replay and all that. It looked like it shouldn't be a goal but in the end, the ref makes the call and we have to trust it's the right one. It just kind of (stinks) that it was the winning goal."

The Sabres entered the contest four points back of the Islanders for the top wild-card seed. With the loss and a Pittsburgh Penguins win on Tuesday, Buffalo is now five points back of the playoff cutline with 19 games remaining.

The Sabres haven't qualified for the playoffs since 2010-11, the longest active drought in the NHL.