MOSCOW — It was the biggest demonstration so far concerning the Sochi Olympics, and it had nothing to do with gay rights, environmental damage or corruption.

Dozens of Russian fans gathered Monday at the Moscow State Agroengineering University, some brandishing hockey sticks, to protest a disallowed goal scored by the Russian team in Saturday’s Olympic hockey match against the United States in Sochi, a decision that they felt cost them the game against their Cold War rivals.

A crowd of mainly students erected a large banner in front of the building reading, “Turn the referee into soap!”, a common Russian chant at sporting events, implying the referee is fit only to have his bones and body fat boiled down for soap.

The object of their admittedly good-natured ire was Brad Meier, the American referee who overturned a goal late in the third period that could have meant a victory for the Russians in the close-fought game, which the United States went on to win, 3-2, in a shootout.