Greetings fellow Hockey-L-ers...
INTRODUCTION
This is my first post in almost a year. Frankly, I haven't had anything
worthwhile to say. No disrespect intended to current posters, but the
previous sentence seems to be universally true. (Raise your hand if
you remember when Hockey-L was great...)
I'm not here to trumpet the defending champs or flog any zebras, although
both may result indirectly from my rules beef which arose during Saturday's
Miami at Michigan game. In fact, at the time I was quite hot at the zebras,
primarily the linesmen. I really dislike the term "assistant referee".
This
lackluster pair have enough difficulty enacting the responsibilities of
linesmen.
However, after review, I believe they made a valid non-call. Hence, in this
instance, my primary beef is with one of the rules of our beloved sport, not
the individuals who enforce them.
THE SITUATION
Approx seven minutes into the second period. Michigan is fully dominating
(Miami had two offensive zone possessions in the first period), but have
only
a 2-0 lead after a recent goal. Michigan is rushing the puck out of their
own
zone and players from both teams are heading up ice. The puck is sent
along the bench-side boards. However, there happens to be a sixth Miami
skater standing on the ice, facing the Redhawk bench. (Given this is the
second period, he's in the neutral zone nearest Michigan's net.) Why he's
standing there, I have no idea. He's obviously going off of the ice, and no
other Miami player is within 15 feet of him. Apparently he's lollygagging.
The puck hits his skate, comes to an abrupt halt and he hops over the boards
and onto the bench. At this point, most of the players on the ice have
over-
skated the puck. Miami picks up the loose puck, takes it into the Michigan
zone and, although the player who picked up the puck didn't score, within
a matter of seconds the confusion leads to a Miami goal.
THE RULEBOOK
Rule 2-5 begins: "Players may be changed at any time from the players'
bench provided the player or players leaving the ice always are at the
players' bench and out of play before any change is made."
However, the rule later continues: "If, in the course of substitution, a
player
entering the game or a player retiring is struck accidentally by the puck,
the
play shall not be stopped and a penalty shall not be called."
MY BEEF
Call it direct, call it indirect, the fact is that if the puck doesn't hit
the sixth
skater then Miami doesn't score that goal. My argument? I believe that
the contact was accidental, therefore the rule was applied correctly. And,
I believe that no penalty should be called on such a play. If it were to be
a penalty, then what would stop players' from throwing the puck at the bench
during every line change hoping to "accidentally" hit someone? However,
I do believe that the rule should be changed to call for a stoppage of play.
The player making contact with the puck is not an "eligible" player, so to
speak. Why not treat these accidental touchings in the same manner as
if the puck was shot into the bench? Blow the whistle and have a faceoff
nearby. This play surely doesn't happen enough to have an impact of slowing
the game down.
Is someone would be so kind as to forward these thoughts to any member
of the rules committee, it would be greatly appreciated.
THE GAME IN QUESTION
As some would expect, the play temporarily deflated the Wolverines. Miami
added a power play goal six minutes later and the game was 2-2 after 40
minutes. Thankfully (unless you wear red and white), Michigan mounted
a third period offensive explosion the likes of which this writer cannot
easily
remember and the unfortunate play eventually became a non-factor in the
final score.
ADDENDUM
It was senior night at Yost, and Coach Berenson ended the home portion of
the regular season with six seniors on the ice: third-string netminder Greg
Daddario and a five-forward unit of Justin Clark, Greg Crozier, Bobby Hayes,
Sean Ritchlin and Dale Rominski. The boxscore follows:
MICHIGAN 9 Miami 4
03:21 MU Buzzell (hooking)
07:25 MU Cheverie (hooking)
09:07 MU Kim (slashing)
10:53 UM Rominski (interference)
14:47 UM Van Ryn 9 (unassisted) 1-0
19:54 UM Rominski (slashing)
22:04 MU Harrold (cross-checking)
23:09 MU bench (delay of game)*
23:09 UM Langfeld (cross-checking)
25:38 UM Clark 4 (Merrick,Jillson) 2-0
27:22 MU Chandler 2 (Kim) 1-2
32:03 MU Leahy (roughing)
32:03 UM Matzka (roughing)
32:13 UM Huntzicker (holding)
33:31 MU Deskins 24 (KMarsch) pp 2-2
42:10 MU Brindley (roughing)
42:10 UM Crozier (roughing)
42:17 UM Berenzweig 7 (Hayes) 3-2
43:32 MU Leahy (checking from behind)
44:09 UM Langfeld 17 (Comrie,Kosick) pp 4-2
44:35 UM Comrie 16 (Peach,Koch) 5-2
45:06 UM Matzka 5 (Van Ryn,Peach) 6-2
46:31 MU Kim (hooking)
46:52 UM Comrie 17 (Langfeld,Berenzweig) pp 7-2
47:40 MU Buzzell (tripping)
47:40 UM Gassoff (tripping)
48:13 UM Hayes 3 (unassisted) 8-2
50:49 MU Brindley (roughing)
50:49 UM Matzka (roughing)
51:51 MU Cheverie 4 (KMarsch,Hartlieb) 3-8
53:50 MU Donskov (hooking)
53:50 MU Harrold (roughing)
53:50 MU Harrold (roughing)
53:50 UM Merrick (roughing)
53:50 UM Merrick (roughing)
55:12 UM Crozier 4 (Comrie,Langfeld) pp 9-3
59:29 UM Berenzweig (tripping)
59:35 MU Deskins 25 (KMarsch,Leahy) pp 4-9
MU 0-2-2--4 04-08-08--20 (10-19-5, 8-16-4 CCHA)
UM 1-1-7--9 10-11-21--42 (19-9-6, 16-7-5 CCHA)
MU AMarsch (29 shots-23 saves) 45:06
MU Olsen (13-10) 14:54
UM Blackburn (13-11) 45:18
UM O'Malley (4-3) 8:32
UM Daddario (3-2) 6:10
Officials: Jim Sotiroff (R), John LaDuke, John Pearson
Attendance: 6197
* Sotiroff made a call that is seen far to infrequently. After UM's Josh
Langfeld went to the box for cross-checking, Miami kept f***ing around
to get the last change until Sotiroff's tolerance was surpassed and he
whistled them for delay of game. Beautiful! I wish more referees would
do the same. (Hey, McFly...you're in Ann Arbor, not Oxford.)
Peace...
John Haeussler
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