On Thu, 1 Feb 1996, Morgenstern,David wrote:
 
> Today's Boston Globe has Smith's comments (article by Bob Monahan), they
> are:
> 1) Eliminate contact along the boards.  "It's all right to brush against
> each other because that's just incidental contact.  Anything else should be
> a penalty".
>
> 2) Have players remain onside during line changes.
>
> 3) Install a red line and make two line passes illegal.
>
> He goes on to give the standard talk about how today's players are bigger
> and faster and more shoulder and knee injuries are occuring, he then says,
> "...I think most of it is not open-ice hitting but hitting next to the
> boards.  And I don't think that's a skill part of the game".
>
>
Aside from checks from behind into the boards, THE BOARDS are the safest
place on the ice to get hit.
 
Its not like hitting a brick wall, the boards give and players at that
level should know how to take a hit.  A hit into the boards is far safer
than any open ice hit!!!!  When do you see all the knee injury's? --->
OPEN ICE HITS.  When do you see all the concussions taking place---> open
ice hits.    A player hit along the boards (aside from the check from
behind) disperses the force of the check into the boards, alot of big
hits into the boards, the person being checks barely feels it.
 
Checking is a skilled part of the game, where ever it takes place. It
takes skill to deliver a check correctly and it takes skill to take a hit
correctly.  I don't want to see the game changed in that regard- but I do
agree stiffer penalties should be handed out for checks from behind, even
minor ones should be an automatic  disqualification.
 
Jason Roy
University of Manitoba
Go Tech
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.