Blade of Steel has no direct affiliation to the NHL or NHLPA
BLADE OF STEEL  |  NHL  |  NEWS

Fan Tries to Bribe Referee in Wild Scene at Sharks-Islanders Game


PUBLICATION
Daniel Lucente
March 9, 2025  (11:25)
SHARE THIS STORY

Mar 8, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; New York Islanders right wing Maxim Tsyplakov (7) and center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) vie for the puck against San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Photo credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

A very unexpected but comical scene emerged during the Islanders-Sharks game, as a fan was seen waving dollar bills at on-ice officials in a bribing attempt.

The NHL season is always full of drama, excitement, and good old-fashioned entertainment in abundance.
While the New York Islanders managed to pull out a solid 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center, the hockey highlight of the night wasn't a stunning goal or a miraculous save, it was something far more entertaining.
In a moment plucked straight from a sketch comedy, a Sharks fan who was looking to make something happen attempted the impossible: bribing the referees. That's right!
As the game was halted in the second period under review of Anders Lee's potential goal, with the Islanders up 2-1, a fan in the glass section just flashed some money, attempting to influence the call.
Isles Den tweeted the video live on X, and even Elliotte Friedman verified the weirdness. The fan's bold move aside, the referees did not even wink in gratitude, that is, they simply did their job.
"Check out the guy on the left of the screen"

- Elliotte Friedman
But hockey fans? They lived their best lives. Gino Hard summarized it all on X.
"This Sharks fan was really trying to bribe the refs."

- Gino Hard

The bribing may have worked as the call remained no-goal

The call on the ice stayed on the board, as it was ruled no goal, but this impromptu sideshow was the game's online viral moment. Because in hockey, play isn't necessarily contained within the ice, but it echoes right up into the stands.
POLL
MARS 9   |   184 ANSWERS
Fan Tries to Bribe Referee in Wild Scene at Sharks-Islanders Game

Did you happen to catch this hilarious scene live?

Yes7239.1 %
No11260.9 %
List of polls

BLADE OF STEEL
COPYRIGHT @2026 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TERMS OF SERVICE - PRIVACY POLICY - COOKIE POLICY
RSS FEED - SITEMAP - ROBOTS.TXT