NHL 2014

Its a fine line between strategically targeting key players and dirty play. It also depends simply on the match-up and styles of certain teams. Backes has clearly targeted players in the past and the Blues definitely can play that heavy game. Thus, bringing out certain response from Chicago. Its all in the manner that it's carried out. David Krecjic threw more body checks yesterday in one game than he has all year. He is far from a dirty player, but it was clear he was targeting certain Wings players, part of the Bs game-plan etc yesterday.
 
If anyone is interested about why the goaltender interference call happened in the Habs/Lightning game here is the explanation given for the correct call was made by the on ice official. Kerry Fraser explains why the correct call was made.

Fan emailing in a question about the call)

Hi-ya Kerry,

I find it amazing that with all the bad calls that were made in Game 3 of the Habs-Lightning series, people are up in arms about possibly the biggest call in the game that was one of the few that was correct. Would you please do us all a favour and explain why that goal was justly disallowed?

I really miss having you, Ron, Andy and Don refereeing games. You four were true professionals.

Sincerely,
Bob (a.k.a. Avro Arrow on TSN.ca's comment threads)

P.S. - Please put it in layman's terms as I think that the on-air host may have used terminology that most people aren't familiar with. LOL


Kerry's answer to the call


Hey Bob: (a.k.a. Avro Arrow)

I give young referee Francis Charron kudos for having the courage to correctly apply rule 69.3 and disallow the potential go-ahead goal by Ryan Callahan with 4:22 remaining in the second period and the score tied 1-1.

The overriding rational of rule 69 (Interference on the Goalkeeper) is that a goalkeeper should have the ability to move freely within his goal crease without being hindered by the actions of an attacking player. There were two instances of goalkeeper interference by virtue of the rule on the play whereby a goal could not legally be allowed to stand if the puck entered the net.

In the first instance Alex Killorn took the puck hard to the net and initiated contact with Carey Price as he attempted to deke and jam the puck into the net. The rotation of Killorn's body and subsequent crash into the back of the net was as a result of his skate to pad contact with Price and not as a result of any back door pressure exerted by David Desharnais. (Check the footage closely!) In attempting to make the save and as a result of the contact by Killorn the Montreal goalkeeper was knocked beyond his blue paint and was then struck by a falling Desharnais. If the puck were to have entered the net following the contact initiated by Alex Killorn the goal should immediately be disallowed.

As the action continued the referee would only allow a "good goal" once he determined that Price was able to reestablish his position within his goal crease to defend any subsequent shot following this initial contact from Killorn. Price got to his feet and moved laterally across the crease to establish his position and to defend a potential shot by Valtteri Filppula from the left side face-off circle. Alex Killorn was attempting to exit the net behind Price in this same moment and resulted in the second incident of goalkeeper interference inside the crease.

This time however the contact was initiated by Price and not through the actions of Alex Killorn. Nonetheless a violation of rule 69.3 occurred; (Rule 69.3 - If a goalkeeper, in the act of establishing his position within his goal crease, initiates contact with an attacking player who is in the goal crease, and this results in an impairment of the goalkeeper's ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.) Even though the contact initiated by Price took him deep into 'left field,' it occurred inside the blue paint as Price was "attempting to establish position inside his goal crease" and could only be judged as such by the referee.

Price knows this rule better than most goalies in the NHL and that is why he threw himself into Alex Killorn inside the blue paint. Price has utilized this rule to his advantage on at least three occasions in previous games. I demonstrated a great montage of Price initiated contact inside his goal crease on That's Hockey 2Nite with Steve Kouleas following the Habs-Lightning game. In the footage, Price clearly initiated contact with attacking players inside his crease and in each case the referee immediately disallowed the goal.

Players, coaches, former players and fans don't fully understand the rule application or the standard by which the referees are instructed to enforce rule 69. Until this "loophole" in the rule is closed referee Francis Charron and his colleagues will continue to enforce it in the same manner that we saw last night in Montreal. The NHL needs to come out in support of Francis Charron and the gusty, correct call he made. You did what is not only expected but demanded of you 'kid'.

In laymen's terms 'Avro Arrow', my best advice to attacking players is to keep out of the blue paint and to especially keep clear of Habs goalie Carey Price!
 
If anyone is interested about why the goaltender interference call happened in the Habs/Lightning game here is the explanation given for the correct call was made by the on ice official. Kerry Fraser explains why the correct call was made.

Fan emailing in a question about the call)




Kerry's answer to the call

It just kinda sucks because PK(I think that's who it was) kept his ass in the net a few more seconds, and then Price was just going crazy--probably trying to draw the penalty. Lightning weren't gonna win w/o Bishop anyways though
 
TB got screwed on that call period. Plus what ensued after that was a non-interference call on Prust who took out Stamkos who then got kneed to the head and injured...screwed in all aspects there. Price initiated the contact anyway and it really didnt affect the follow up shot / play. Im sure if it was reversed and that happened to Montreal and they lost the game...there would be a congressional investigation going on in Montreal lol. It was a typical bogus hometown call that Montreal always gets in their favor.

TB has sucked regardless. Thought for sure this series would be closer.
 
That was feather soft there.

-Holy shit the Pens score 3 in 2 mins to take the lead. I get Columbus is allergic to winning but this is nuts!

-Minn's Matt Cooke is such a piece of shit! Blatantly sticking leg out on that knee-on-knee hit. Cookes last suspension was 18 months ago, so he is not considered a repeat offender under the NHL rules.
 
TB got screwed on that call period. Plus what ensued after that was a non-interference call on Prust who took out Stamkos who then got kneed to the head and injured...screwed in all aspects there. Price initiated the contact anyway and it really didnt affect the follow up shot / play. Im sure if it was reversed and that happened to Montreal and they lost the game...there would be a congressional investigation going on in Montreal lol. It was a typical bogus hometown call that Montreal always gets in their favor.

TB has sucked regardless. Thought for sure this series would be closer.

Your acting like that knee was on purpose...
 
Pens didn't deserve to win tonight but fuck it. COME ON BLUES GET ONE FUCKING GOAL!!!! JUST ONE DON'T LET THOSE ASSHOLES WIN!!
 
Your acting like that knee was on purpose...

No, not at all. The interference led to the spraul in which the knee to the head happened. In no way did i think the knee was intentional. Was mainly stating it was a bad sequence of unfortunate events for TB within a short / key time of the game that TB desperately needed to win. Doesnt matter, they suck and are pretty much toast!
 
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Bring out the Brooms boys!!!
 
Good job TB making the road rough for the Habs. Nm the goaltending sitch, their overall play was horrible. They just had so many careless mistakes epsecially in the D-zone.

Bs were dominant against the Wings lastnite. Good to see espec on the road...keep it up Boys!
 
I'm not sure If you were saying the goaltending was the problem, in fact it was a combination of both. Lindback goes down way too early and gives up these massive holes in the corners to shoot at. And TB's downfall was their turnovers it was horrendous.

That being said I want a Habs/Bruins series so bad. You of all people should know how close these series are about 90% of the time it's tight as hell. And with both teams rolling with 4 lines, and 2 of the worlds best goalies going head to head. It would make an awesome series!

Just Montreal can't play into the Bruins game of being physical, they need to play with their Speed and Skill.

But it's still a long way from reality.
 
I think Montreal had alot to do with forcing TBs poor play...Habs played well. My criticism of TB was their own poor play...horrible turnovers as mentioned. Simply botching basic clear-out passes.

My focus is on the Wings, Bs have lots of work ahead. Other match-up scenerios...i cant go there yet bud ; ).