Gary Bettman Scrutinized Amid Allegations of Stanley Cup Final Rigging

A particular incident has catalyzed this wave of criticism: a penalty was called with only ten seconds left in the third period, a decision that has sparked much debate on social media.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the lone erroneous call of the game. Radko Gudas was penalized for a relatively gentle hit, which can be seen here:

Since the start of the playoffs, there have been numerous cross checks similar to this one. However, for some reason, the referees chose to penalize this specific instance.

It wasn't long before accusations of rigging the game started to circulate. The cynics argue that the NHL might be swayed by the potentially massive financial windfall should the Golden Knights clinch the Stanley Cup, as opposed to Florida, which has a markedly smaller market.

Gary Bettman, if he chose to acknowledge this reality, might be able to initiate necessary changes within the NHL. Doing so could spare him from enduring yet another round of criticism.

For more perspectives on the controversy, see the following tweets:

As Read on HockeyPatrol - Gary Bettman Under the Microscope for the Alleged Rigging of the Stanley Cup Final