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"Quasi GM"
Moncton, NB • Canada • 37 Years Old • Male

The five minute penalty

Posted 5:37 PM ET | Comments 9
I have a bone to pick with the rules.

The situation rose again during the Canada-Slovak game the other day, where Canada had to kill off two five minute majors from trivial calls. Why rose again? Because NJ's season basically ended trying to kill a five minute boarding penalty.

Now when there's an illegal hit to the head, or a boarding, or a bad charging, I understand the calls, especially in the case of injury. Players playing reckless should end up punishing their team, and a five minute penalty is usually warranted.

I would like to see a slight revision, however. First off, when a player gets a major penalty on a player due to an injury, then the ref should ask the team a question. "Do you want a five minute major or a double minor?" The five minute major means that the player who is injured CANNOT return to the game (and it kicks the other player out, too). The double minor allows your player to return and only puts the penalized player in the penalty box.

Now I understand that right away, you won't know the extent of the injury to the player. But then, the ref is forced to make a judgement call right away anyway, so it doesn't change anything. The ref then goes to the bench after the player's been taken off the ice, and that team is given a minute time-out to make the decision (and to cool some hot heads).

The reason is because Scuderi came back that game. And Lipon's hit that caused his suspension saw that player returning to the game as well. Now what stops these players from exaggerating their injury to manipulate the refs to call a five minute major? Nothing. And then the refs face the criticism, but it's not fair for them, they have to decide right away on how to penalize the player and have no idea how much that player is injured.

A double minor is a big enough penalty, but doesn't make it so a team can go out and score three goals on the penalty and turn the rest of the game into a yawn-fest because of a demoralizing and blown call. Now, New Jersey didn't kill that power play very well, but under no circumstance should Scuderi been allowed to return to that game. The same with Canada's penalties: if you're throwing those players out, then throw the "supposed injured" players out as well.
Filed Under:   lipon   major   devils   canada   world juniors   penalty   charge  
January 2, 2013 11:03 AM ET | Delete
First, I'm gonna let my bias come out and say Bernier deserved five and a game. I will agree though that call of Lipon was rough. He deserved a two and ten for sure, but a game is too much. My problem with what you're proposing though is the assumption that a major and a double minor are in any way comparable.
January 2, 2013 11:09 AM ET | Delete
January 2, 2013 11:09 AM ET | Delete
A double minor isn't a big enough penalty, it's two minor penalties. And what about cases where the hit is severe enough to warrant a major/game, but the player hit is lucky enough to be uninjured? Then you're penalizing the team on the PP by making them choose between losing a player for a major, or keeping him and a double minor.
January 2, 2013 11:12 AM ET | Delete
A better comparison from the WJs to the Scuderi/Bernier hit would be Nichushkin. By your rule Canada would have had to either take a double minor PP or lose Wotherspoon for the major... Sorry for the blank post, and for writing so much, and I get your idea, and though it would work in some cases, I think there are just a many where it wouldn't.
January 2, 2013 12:35 PM ET | Delete
January 2, 2013 3:49 PM ET | Delete
So even though a player can take 15 steps and leap into a guy's head and make him bleed all over the ice, the only way he can get a major is if the other player also leaves the game?
January 3, 2013 11:26 AM ET | Delete
I think degree of injury is not the be-all in these situations. I can imagine a guy taking a two-handed baseball swing at an opponents head. . . and the intended recipient ducking out of the way just in time. No possibility of injury. Penalties aren't just about result, but also sending the message YOU JUST CAN'T DO THAT.
January 3, 2013 10:29 PM ET | Delete
The ref has to make the call based on the severity of the impact and not based on an injury. If someone runs a defenceless player from behind and does not result in an injury a 5 and a game must still be called to deter players from running around like maniacs all over the ice
October 31, 2019 3:39 AM ET | Delete
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