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'Intent to Blow' Rule Costs Canadiens

Dec 11, 2009 – 2:38 AM
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Kevin Schultz

Kevin Schultz %BloggerTitle%

I think we can officially call the 'intent to blow' rule a full blown epidemic in the NHL. The odd rule has already struck a few times this season, costing both Detroit and Toronto goals, and Thursday night it made another appearance. This time it was in Montreal, costing the Habs a game-tying goal late in the third period.

The Penguins scored with just over six minutes left in the game to take a 3-2 lead. Fast forward another minute and referee Chris Lee blows his whistle moments after Scott Gomez slams home a goal that should have tied the game at three. The puck appears to go under Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury for a moment and then skitters into the wide open crease before Gomez gets his stick on it.




Referees are instructed to blow the whistle when they lose sight of the puck, which sort of helps to explain why this sort of thing can happen in the first place. They lose sight of the puck assuming it is under the netminder, and in situations like these when the whistle comes late, well, it only seems to make things worse.

It's safe to say that the league will take a long look at this rule during the offseason. Until then, it looks like we're headed for one of these incidents every couple of weeks and, if we're really lucky, during a crucial playoff game. In the meantime, Habs fans are left to be understandably upset. The Twitterati have all their bases covered.

We've got conspiracy:
RT @All_Habs: True, but Chris Lee is always controversial in MTL. . all the NHL refs are bad and the Pens are Gary's darlings
Thinly veiled threats:
@johnmbennett: I hope Chris Lee runs out of the building...because he doesnt deserve to be a ref in this league
Not-quite-so-veiled threats:
@pabirtz: Quelqu'un a l'adresse de Chris Lee?
(Translation: Does anyone have Chris Lee's address?)

Saracasm:
@campattendant: Carey 2nd star...Chris Lee 1st
And then there's the worst insult of them all from @arif_Igdebeli:
Mets-en !! : Chris Lee, c'est le nouveau Kerry Fraser /via @silversly
Chris Lee is the new Kerry Fraser? Ouch.
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