http://www.thehockeynews.com/en/news...p?idNews=21483
by Jason Kay
It didn’t take Carnac or even a Caneiac to accurately predict the shooting-the-puck-over-the-glass rule would have a major impact in a big game this season.
With just less than 10 minutes to play in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final, Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell was penalized for delay of game after inadvertently flipping the puck into the stands and Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour scored the series winner on the ensuing power play.
We understand the logic behind the rule and acknowledge the argument for keeping it intact. It’s designed to keep play moving and not give a team on the ropes an easy out. It’s also a black and white call for the zebras, one that is always applied evenly to both teams and one they’re well aware of going in.
But that doesn’t make it a good rule. More precisely, it doesn’t make it just.
While we see patches of grey, we can empathize with Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller who vented after the defeat.
“Stupidest thing ever,” Miller told reporters. “I don’t see how that should ever decide a game. Two guys forechecking a player, he goes to make a quick play in the bad ice in springtime and it goes out of play. You’re telling me that’s a rule? They gotta wake up.”
Fortunately for the league, it happened to a small-market team on the road. Had it occurred to the Rangers in Madison Square Garden or the Maple Leafs in Air Canada Centre, we’d be using the Richter scale to measure the reverberations.
Regardless, we’ve been saying all season the punishment – a two-minute penalty – is excessive and punitive for what is often an accident. We also suggested in this space months ago the action of putting a puck in the stands on purpose is akin to a deliberate icing. Why not treat them the same: a faceoff in the defending zone of the offending team and no line change permitted? It would remain a non-discretionary call and would better fit the misdeed. And it’s consistent with the consequence commissioner Gary Bettman is suggesting the league consider introducing after goaltenders freeze pucks.
As it stands, a player shooting the puck into the crowd, by design or by mistake, gets the same punishment as a player who hooks an opponent and nullifies a scoring chance.
Even in the new NHL, this kind of math doesn’t equate.
And another thing…
The Buffalo-Carolina series reinforced the notion rivalries are best and most easily created during the playoffs.
The war of words between Lindy Ruff and Peter Laviolette; the accusations by the Sabres that Canes’ players are arrogant; the nasty feelings between fans in the two cities; that could all happen in the regular season, but it’s far less likely because the intensity levels are so disparate.
Those two teams will get a chance to renew their hatred four times next season. The same won’t hold true for the Canes and Oilers.
While they’ll probably meet once next season, there is no guarantee under the current schedule format that Stanley Cup opponents will play each other the following season.
That’s a glitch in the system