Jason Spezza Caught With Illegal Stick

Monday's game between Toronto and Ottawa had no impact on the NHL's playoff race, but it still managed to make some headlines thanks to the stick of Senators forward Jason Spezza.

With Toronto trailing, 2-1, late in the third period, the Maple Leafs felt there was something suspicious about the stick Spezza was using.

Busted. The hilarious thing about it is Spezza clearly knew he was bending (see what I did there?) the rules by his attempt to break the stick, and then replace it, as soon as the Maple Leafs bench tried to point it out to the officials.

In the end, Spezza was hit with a two-minute minor for using an illegal stick, giving the Maple Leafs a power play with just over two minutes to play in regulation. Gutsy call by Ron Wilson to challenge it, and it would have been a brilliant move had Toronto capitalized on the power play.

By league rule, no stick may be longer than 63 inches, while the regulations on the blade are as follows:

The blade of the stick shall not be more than three inches (3") in width at any point between the heel and ½" in from the mid-point of the tip of the blade, nor less than two inches (2"). All edges of the blade shall be beveled. The curvature of the blade of the stick shall be restricted in such a way that the distance of a perpendicular line measured from a straight line drawn from any point at the heel to the end of the blade to the point of maximum curvature shall not exceed three-quarters of an inch (3/4").

Ottawa ended up winning the game, 2-1, thanks to goals from Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson.