Deron writes: "One thing I noticed which I suspect we'll see exploited to some degree is
the lack of attention to movement on the faceoffs by the players."

But of course. To count to five, the referees have to watch their hand and move each finger. They cannot watch two thing at the same time.

Nathan Hampton

> ----------
> From:         Deron Treadwell
> Reply To:     Deron Treadwell
> Sent:         Monday, October 14, 2002 6:35 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: Five seconds.  Five seconds!  Wow, FIVE seconds!
> 
> This was quite a shock I must say.  I had read Wayne's post before attending
> my first game, but the pace of it all still surprised me.  I personally
> think it is a little "too" fast, or maybe too stringently implemented??  I
> don't know, but I was not completely pleased with it -- though I agree it is
> better and I think time will smooth the bumps out.
> 
> One thing I noticed which I suspect we'll see exploited to some degree is
> the lack of attention to movement on the faceoffs by the players.  There is
> so much concern to dropping the puck that (at least in the two games I saw)
> there was little attention paid to movement.  Clearly I think faceoff plays
> can be drawn up that take advantage of this where a player can create
> seperation just by being able to move before the puck is dropped.
> 
> Scoreboard operaters MUST pay attention or be helped out by referees.  I
> know in two instances this weekend when penalties did not make it on the
> board in time before the puck was dropped and the clock started.
> 
> The pace was improved and I like the direction, but a little more work needs
> to be done IMHO.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wayne T. Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 11:49 PM
> Subject: Five seconds. Five seconds! Wow, FIVE seconds!
> 
> 
> > Between games of the first day of the Black Bear Classic I had the
> > privilege and opportunity to chat with a Hockey East Association
> > administrator about US hockey's newest change.  I'll call it the
> >
> >    Five Second Rule
> >
> > Perhaps you've seen this new procedure in the new NHL season or
> > witnessed it in the recent Winter Olympics?  Now college hockey is
> > seriously speeding up the game, and other levels are also involved.
> >
> > As explained to me, the procedure is meant to minimize the time spent
> > during stoppages of play.  Once the visiting team has had a chance to
> > send out any replacements, the referee raises his hand.  The home team
> > now has about 5 seconds to send out any replacements.  The referee can,
> > under his discretion, hold his signal for longer (but generally did not
> > in today's Black Bear Classic games).  When the referee brings his hand
> > down, the linesman doing the faceoff toots his whistle.  The centermen
> > have 5 seconds to get ready for the drop of the puck, but in practice
> > most pucks were dropped today after 2 or 3 seconds.
> >
> > If there is a player offsides at the drop of the puck, the play is
> > whistled dead and the offending team is warned (once per game per team,
> > I presume).  Occurrences after the warning get the offending team a minor
> > penalty.
> >
> > In today's games at the Alfond, I witnessed no delay of game penalties
> > and no warnings ...  and two very quickly played games!  The LSSU/QC
> > game might have broken all records for elapsed time, were it not for a
> > broken plexiglass panel at one point.
> >
> > I'm impressed.  Good rule and good implementation!  My first thoughts
> > were that it would be good for keeping the fans into a game, continuing
> > the "momentum" of one team or the other, and minimizing delays caused by
> > players creeping into the faceoff circle.  And it did in all three
> > cases, IMHO.  It also removes the "DROP THE PUCK!" jeer from the fan
> > repertoire!  ;-)
> >
> > But as the Hockey East administrator pointed out, it also keeps the> 
> > players heads in the game.  They don't have time to get mad an opponent
> > or to bait before play resumes ...  as they must focus on the puck and
> > the quickly resuming play.  And it did today, IMHO.
> >
> > Have others noticed this new to US procedure? Like it? Will it stick?
> >
> > cheers, wayne
> >
> > Wayne T. Smith
> > [log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing
> > The College Hockey lists: Hockey-L and Hockey3 at http://lists.Maine.edu/
> 
>