If It Ain't One Thing...

I'm sure everyone has had a chance to stew over the game last night. Of course, the Hurricanes got back into the Stanley Cup Finals with a 4-2 win over the Sabres. The game-winning goal is one that will have the NHL's competition committee look at possibly changing some things going into next season.

If you missed the game, the Sabres were knotted up with the Canes, when Brian Campbell tried to get the puck out of the zone by throwing it high off the glass, however, the puck cleared the glass entirely; resulting in a delay of game, then into a Rod Brind'Amour power play goal, which was the eventual game winner. Granted, the puck sat in the same spot for what seemed like an eternity, but that's a problem for the coaches of the Sabres to re-evaulate in the summer. Yet, the question at hand is whether or not the delay of game rule should be altered for next season.

Lyle Richardson of Spector's Hockey and Fox Sports said on our show that this rule would result in a goal which could cost a team, not only a game, but a series as well. That's what happened on Thursday night. Of course, the point is very valid. You can't have tired defensemen or forwards flipping the puck over the glass to get a whistle to change up. That said, you have to wonder if the two-minute penalty is the way to go. On the postgame, Glenn Healy said that there should only be a penalty if the puck is deliberately thrown over the glass. It's all well and good, but anyone who has played the game will tell you that sometimes you don't know what's going to happen when the puck goes off your blade.

Probably one of the most interesting things said was that the team shouldn't be able to change lines once something like that happens. Much like the icing, most of the time the reason is to get a change of get off the ice. It seems good in theory, but I'd like to take it a bit further. If you take that portion into effect, a logical thing is to give a warning out to that player, then if it happens from the same player-- two minutes in the box. It's the best of both worlds and then you could gauge whether or not the player is doing it deliberately or not. It's a good rule to have, but maybe looking at it and reworking it wouldn't be too awful in hindsight.

At least Brett Hull's foot wasn't in the crease.