EDMONTON, Alberta — Just 10 seconds after falling into a two-goal hole in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers had a prime opportunity to get back into the game — but it was not to be.

Aleksander Barkov scored 46 seconds into the second period Friday night to draw Florida back within a goal. However, the Oilers kept their 2-0 lead after Barkov's goal was called back after a lengthy review for offside. Edmonton immediately regained control from that moment on and forced a Game 7 with a 5-1 win.

The play at the blue line was close — decided by a matter of millimeters — but it was determined that Carter Verhaeghe was offside as Sam Reinhart carried the puck into the offensive zone.

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“I had no idea [I was offside], no,” Verhaeghe said. “I mean, it sucks that it didn’t go our way, but I mean, it’s above my head. I don’t know. They obviously got the right call. I’m sure it’s the right call if they’re watching a million replays.”

Does Panthers coach Paul Maurice believe the officials got the right call?

“I have no idea. It may well have been offside,’’ said Maurice, who was visibly upset after the call and let the officials on the ice know about it.

“The linesperson informed me that it was the last clip that they got where they made the decision that shows it’s offside. I don’t have those. So, the video I got on my bench ... I was upset after the call based on what I see at my feet, what my video person looks at."

Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch thought Verhaeghe clearly was offsides.

“I actually didn't think it was that close," he said. "We were going to call it right away. And we had a little more time to review it and were like. OK. The only hesitation was maybe it wasn't the right video. In my mind, it was definitely offside.”

'Bring in the CIA' says Paul Maurice on disputed offsides call

Maurice said he would not have challenged the goal if the skate was on the other foot.

“There was no way I would’ve challenged that if it was reversed, there was no way I thought you could conclusively say that was offside," he said. "I don’t know what the Oilers get, I don’t know what the league gets. I just know that when I would’ve had to have challenged that based on what I saw, I would not have challenged.

“I’m not saying it’s not offside. We’ll get still frames, bring in the CIA, we’ll figure it out. But in the 30 seconds that I would’ve made that call, I would not have challenged."

Despite all that, the referees found the evidence by the thinnest of margins. Verhaeghe was offside and the goal did not count.

The Panthers were able to snap out of the slump they were in — outshooting the Oilers 11-3 to end the second period following the disallowed goal — but they could not claw out of the early hole. A blocked Panthers shot late in the second period turned into a goal which made it 3-1 but that marked the end for Florida's scoring.

“You’re looking for a jump-start at that point," Maurice said. “The shots are 11-2 (in Oilers' favor) in the first period so we need something. I think it ended up 11-4 in the second period, scored on two of them. It would’ve been a spark for us, for sure. [Barkov’s] next goal was. I thought we had a little bit of juice there after that but it was unfortunate that it was called back."

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Stanley Cup controversy: Offsides call on Panthers goal turns Game 6 in Oilers' favor