(AP Photo/ Dean Duprey) Ryan Miller leaving
his crease at the end of the game merits disciplinary
action by Colin Campbell and the NHL.
With Bruins’ defenseman Zdeno Chara now cleared to play in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, Colin Campbell and the NHL should still review the video footage of last night’s near-melee that occurred between the B’s and Sabres.
With less than a second remaining in the game in last night’s 4-1 loss, (watch video here), Buffalo’s Paul Gaustad decided it would be a good idea to slash the back of Chara’s legs/skates. What unfolded was Chara dropping the gloves with Gaustad, while defensemen Craig Rivet and — AHL call-up — Cody McCormick were the third- and fourth-men in the altercation.
Here’s what the NHL rules says about the third man in who intervene in a fight:
“47.16 Third Man In – A game misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who is the first to intervene (third man in) in an altercation already in progress except when a match penalty is being imposed in the original altercation. This penalty is in addition to any other penalties incurred in the same incident.
This rule also applies to subsequent players or goalkeepers who elect to intervene in the same or other altercations during the same stoppage of play.”
Moreover, as you see at the end of the fight, Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller left his crease, dropped his gloves, and tried to clear the fighting area. In fact, it looked to me as though he tried to have a go with Bruins’ forward Miroslav Satan. And per NHL Rules…..
“47.4 Clearing the Area of a Fight – When a fight occurs, all players not engaged shall go immediately to the area of their players’ bench and in the event the altercation takes place at a players’ bench, the players on the ice from that team shall go to their defending zone. Goalkeepers shall remain in their goal crease, except in the event the altercation takes place in the vicinity of the goal crease, and therefore shall obey the directions of the Referee. Failure to comply can result in penalties incurred for their involvement in and around the area and fines as outlined in 47.18.
Good thing for the Bruins: no suspension for Chara. When Johnny Boychuk — incidentally or accidentally – slashed Thomas Vanek’s right leg in Game 2, Sabres fans were screaming bloody murder for a suspension (even though No. 55 was clearly trying to hack the stick of the right-handed Vanek). And even when Boychuk tattooed Matt Ellis with a clean open-ice hit in Game 3, Buffalo fans were calling for the defenseman’s head.
This isn’t to say that all three, or any of the three, players should be suspended. In fact, as a Bruins’ fan, I hope they aren’t. In playoff hockey I want to see the best against the best.
But I still think the NHL should review and entertain the fact anyways.
Comments
I agree with everything here. I'm not going to stoop to Buffalo's level and start yelling for suspensions, but you're right.
Absolutely. Belive me when i say this: the last thing I want to see is the Bruins win Game 6/the series with Buffalo's back-up goaltender Patrick Lalime between the pipes because the best goalie in the world and 2009-10 Vezina Trophy winner (Miller) is suspended, along with their captain, Rivet.
A slap on the wrist with $1,000 fine? At the most.
But just entertain us with the fact that the NHL has this one "under review", is all.
Hey retard whats the point of entertaining the fact?
P.S. No one wanted Boychuk suspended for hitting Ellis in fact most Sabres fans celebrated that we don't have to watch that waste of life play for a while.
P.S.S. Anything done in the last minutes of a game that are 'tone setting' do not warrant any suspensions. This is playoff hockey quit bitching and appreciate what both teams did to get you excited for the next game..
Not dumbass:
I don't think I was bitching or complaining here -- just stating some rules and exactly what happened at the end of the game. Am I calling for a suspension? Of course not. Are you a Sabres fan? Absolutely.
Here's what your head coach, Ruff, had to say...then you tell me who's bitching...
"The league’s interpretation is what it is. I was arguing for the instigator. That’s why I stayed on the bench. I had [Craig Rivet] go over and say, ‘That’s an instigator.’
“It really doesn’t matter what I think. It really doesn’t. I don’t think that little slash [from Paul Gaustad] hurt him though. An instigator is an instigator. The referees deemed he was the instigator. I can find lots of little slashes in the game if you want me to find that.”
"An instigator is an instigator." And leaving the crease is leaving the crease...and third man in is a third man in.
I think you have an issue with the NHL's current CBA and its rules, not me.
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