Corey Perry, nicknamed 'The Worm', stirred up controversy in game 4 of the opening round playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning. Perry tripped Jake McCabe in front of the net, but the referees did not call a penalty. What made matters worse was that a similar play involving the Leafs' William Nylander and Tampa's Steven Stamkos had occurred earlier in the game, resulting in a two-minute minor penalty.
The game's first notable incident involved Nylander tripping Stamkos by getting his leg behind the latter's and taking him down. This play earned Nylander a penalty, and the Lightning capitalized on the ensuing powerplay.
In a later play, Perry and McCabe were involved in a strikingly similar situation in front of the Leafs' net. However, no penalty was called this time. Some may argue that Perry's actions were accidental, but his own coach, Jon Cooper, has stated that Perry rarely does anything on the ice unintentionally.
Despite the controversial plays, Leafs' fans can celebrate their team's resilience as Toronto managed to stage a major comeback. They won the game 5-4 in overtime, securing a 3-1 series lead.