Clarification On The Malkin Breakaway
Jesse Marshall | National Hockey League
May 2, 02:23 PM | Hype this story!
The strange sequence of events that occurred last night leading to an Evgeni Malkin penalty shot have been explained by the NHL this morning after fans all across the league were wondering about the rules used to explain the call on the ice.
For those who didn’t see it, Sidney Crosby pushed the puck up ice to Evgeni Malkin, who beat a stickless Daniel Girardi on a breakaway. Malkin, with a clear path to the goaltender, was pushed from behind by Girardi. Malkin fell and slid into Lundqvist. Lundqvist then entered the net with the puck underneath him before the net came off its moorings. The call was ruled no goal, and Malkin would eventually miss the penalty shot.
Initially, we thought that the call was ruled no goal because the camera angles were inconclusive, however, today the NHL Network revealed what ruling the referee’s used during the sequence.
NHL Rule 78.5
In the event that a goalkeeper has been pushed into the net together with the puck after making a stop, the goal will be disallowed. If applicable, appropriate penalties will be assessed.
So, there you have it. Malkin impeded the goaltenders ability to save the puck and the puck entered the net with Lundqvist, thus relegating it no goal.
But what about the rule that bit Daniel Girardi?
NHL Rule 44.1
Checking from Behind: A check from behind is a check delivered on a player who is not aware of the impending hit, therefore unable to protect or defend himself, and contact is made on the back part of the body. When a player intentionally turns his body to create contact with his back, no penalty shall be assessed.
So there you have it. Girardi commited a penalty and the Malkin goal was surely no-goal based on the NHL rules.
Game 5 between the Penguins and Rangers will be this Sunday at 2:00 P.M. on NBC.
Comments
Jonathan Farzalo
May 2, 02:46 PM
Can you clarify what in the “beep” Malkin was thinking during the Penalty Shot?
Oh wait, nevermind, that would be IMPOSSIBLE!
Jesse Marshall
May 2, 02:49 PM
Jonathan,
Malkin is self-admittedly bad at breakaways. The ice at that point was probably more horrendous than it was at any other point in the game. You could clearly see the snow kicking up off his skates. I would imagine he was trying to avoid losing a handle on the puck and just get a shot off.
DaBich
May 2, 03:12 PM
LOL Jonathan…love that “beep”
Tom
May 2, 05:28 PM
Jesse, There is no way Lundqvist made a save on Malkin’s shot; therefore, Rule 78.5 does not apply, no matter what Toronto says. The puck was behind Lundqvist before the goal came off its moorings. See the photographs on thepensblog.com and the game film.
Malkin does not have the quick hands of our better shoot out specialist, the best of which is Letang, who has the fastest hands and quickest shot on the team, now that Christensen has been traded. Malkin has never been good at the shoot out / penalty shot.
Jonathan Farzalo
May 2, 10:46 PM
what are the rules (my brain is not working) about Penalty shots? does MALKIN HAVE to take it? or can someone else? I thought it could be anyone on the ice? or am i just being dumb?
Tom
May 3, 04:57 PM
Jonathan, As with basketball the victim of the foul must shoot the foul shot if he or she can. If the victim of the foul is injured and cannot shoot, a substitute may take his place.
Mike
May 4, 05:49 AM
But checking from behind is an automatic major and game misconduct, which would have been assessed, penalty shot or not. So that can’t be what they called, right?
DaBich
May 6, 11:46 AM
Mike and Tom ~ as usual, the striped buffoons called things their own way, only quoting the rule book when it suited them.
I hate those azzmunches.
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