Why Didn't Doc or Chico know goalies cannot cover pucks outside th

[gtmet]

Was anyone else confused that they lambasted the ref for not blowing the whistle on khabibulin's attempt to cover early last night? The rules state that if the goalie leaves the crease to beat an opposing player to the puck, they are not allowed to cover the puck and freeze play, if they do a minor penalty should be charged. Shouldn't an ex-goalie know that?

[Devils731]

Was anyone else confused that they lambasted the ref for not blowing the whistle on khabibulin's attempt to cover early last night? The rules state that if the goalie leaves the crease to beat an opposing player to the puck, they are not allowed to cover the puck and freeze play, if they do a minor penalty should be charged. Shouldn't an ex-goalie know that?

It's a very loosely called rule. Even though it's on the books watch a goalie cover the puck outside the crease all the time. The issue here to the ref, I believe, was if Khabibulin was led there in the act of making a save or not. If K had been there because of making a save I believe the ref would have blown the whistle. Since K bobbled the save and dropped the puck he was now covering a puck that is just regularly in play outside the crease which refs will not normally allow you to do.

At least that's the bobble is how my mind's eye remembers it from last night.

[gtmet]

It's a very loosely called rule. Even though it's on the books watch a goalie cover the puck outside the crease all the time. The issue here to the ref, I believe, was if Khabibulin was led there in the act of making a save or not. If K had been there because of making a save I believe the ref would have blown the whistle. Since K bobbled the save and dropped the puck he was now covering a puck that is just regularly in play outside the crease which refs will not normally allow you to do.

At least that's the bobble is how my mind's eye remembers it from last night.

Yes, the key in the rule is the "act of making the save" that is when goalies are allowed to cover outside the crease (i.e. gloving a shot out of the air). K batted the puck and then chased it down which you aren't aloud to do. I thought it was a great chance to explain a pretty technical rule and call.

[The Facepainter]

I wasn't sure who to agree with on that one. Khabibulin was bobbling the puck in his glove and he found himself out of the crease when he covered up. It wasn't like other situations I've seen, where the goalie skated out to a loose puck, like Biron.

Edited March 18, 2009 by The Facepainter

[Devils731]

I wasn't sure who to agree with on that one. Khabibulin was bobbling the puck in his glove and he found himself out of the crease when he covered up. It wasn't like other situations I've seen, where the goalie skated out to a loose puck, like Biron.

Ya, I think most people assumed the bobble was just part of the act of the save while the referee believed the bobble was too great and now the puck was back in regular play. If I was the ref in that instance I would have blown the play dead. Of course the ref blew a play dead later that he shouldn't have so the ref paid K back.

[point]

My first impression was that he was playing the puck OS the trapezoid, but a later replay showed that the puck was in front of the goal line. Yeah, it did call for a clearer explanation of a rarely called rule.