Is it just me or has there been an increase in the amount of goals that are reviewed in order to determine whether or not the puck was “directed in by a skate?”   Although nothing slows down the pace of a game more than a five minute goal review, in the case of kicked in goals, I think it is necessary. 

There are many sports commentators and fans who believe any goal directed in by a skate should count.  If this becomes a rule in the NHL, I say the league is entering dangerous territory.  Goalies have a hard enough time surviving scrums in front of their net.  As it currently stands, you have players barrelling in to the goalie trying to dig for loose pucks.  Imagine now, opposition players whose sticks are tied up kicking away at the goalie for a loose puck.    If a puck comes loose and it is kicked in, the goal will have to count.  And don’t kid yourself, coaches will find a way to take advantage of the new freedom of being able to kick pucks into the net.  Players will drag their skate along the ice and direct the puck in and claim the goal should count because their skate never left the ice.  Allowing these goals to count is a ridiculous notion.  Then do we say if a player is lying on the ice with no stick and a puck comes loose he can knock it in with his glove?  Of course not!  If a puck deflects or bounces off any part of the body it is a goal.  However if it is intentionally directed in (and yes that includes driving the net and pushing the puck into the goal with a skate) with anything but a hockey stick, the goal shouldn’t count.

If it takes an in-depth review to determine if a puck was deflected in or directed in, then so be it.  Make the call and stick with it.  I know all the advocates of more goals in the league will say I’m crazy.  Goaltending has improved so much over the last 10 years.  Forwards will have to adapt.  We don’t need bigger nets, smaller goalie equipment or kicked in goals to make hockey more exciting.  Enough gimmicks have already been brought into the leagues that are making the game somewhat cheesy for us old school fans.  Did someone say “shootout?”

Agree or disagree, I’m off the goalpost.

www.offthegoalpost.com