What constitutes goaltender interference these days?

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 29, 2009 11:33 AM CDT Comment 4 comments

To break from our favorite topic of predicting the demise of the upstart Avs for a bit here, I have witnessed a disturbing trend in this year's games of goalies getting run, tackled, backed into, pushed into the net, hacked with sticks, guys standing with both feet in their crease butt to mask .... all without any calls of goaltender interference. I'm actually starting to miss the "in the crease" rule.

Is it just me or are the refs just not calling goaltender interference this season? Seems like a very dangerous development. Does anyone think it is some sort of edict from the NHL front office to try to increase scoring?

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I’ve noticed a huge trend in goaltenders being hit this year without calls, and I don’t know what the deal is.

I’ve also noticed a trend of defenseman purposely checking players into their own goalie hoping for an interference penalty.

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by DarrenM on Oct 29, 2009 4:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

This is a great question, I can’t believe it hasn’t sparked more discussion. The inconsistency of calls — even within the same game — has been troubling me for a while.

The crease rule had its own problems, and I think reinstating it would slow the game down too much, but goaltender interference is probably a very difficult call for officials to make — too much speed or too many guys in too small a space, plus the impossible judgement of “intent.”

I don’t have a solution, but I think the NHL needs one.

"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."

by CapitalCentre on Nov 1, 2009 1:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Oh, the calls are consistent in one aspect: If Miikka Kiprusoff gets bumped, it is never a penalty. Holmstrom flat out ran him over on Saturday without any kind of call. That was especially hilarious, given Khabibulin skated into Iginla’s path – outside of the crease – in our last game against Edmonton, yet the Oilers got the PP.

I’ve said this for years, but the NHL does not care about the health of goaltenders. Injured starters means bad backups playing more, means more goals.

by Resolute on Nov 3, 2009 10:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs