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Alex
PickupHockey All-Star
Canada
2816 Posts |
 Posted - 03/09/2008 : 11:29:03
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Watching the game of the week on TSN (Caps vs. Pens) duriing intermission the NHL on TSN panel pointed out Ovechkin had an illegal stick blade curve.
They poked a little fun at Ovie, calling him a cheater. Now obviously, he isn't using steroids or anything. But hey, violating rules is in essence cheating. I am still a huge Ovechkin fan for the record.
Four questions:
One: is it?
Two: should they take action against the league's leading scorer?
Three: Does their position in the standings have anything to do with it?
Four: Is illegal curves such a problem to begin with?
I will now address the issues.
One, is it? You bet it is. You look at that thing on the bench, and I'm telling you, I only wish for Alex that he should get girls with curves like that!  That baby is clearly illegal.
Two / four: no, they should not. I mean, this ties in to the whole ''no hitting Gretzky'' thing; but really, I think that the problem is not so big to begin with. Obviously in Russia he got used to this type of stick. It isn't as if it was a complete 'C', I mean, ya it is curved very much. So what? I think the curve limits should be somewhat higher than they are, anyways.
That being said, you break a rule you should face a penalty of some sort. Obviously he is breaking the rules with that stick. If they do not want to deal with it, they should change the rules as opposed to letting some player undermine them.
Three, does the standings have anything to do with it? Yeah. More importantly. the time of year. Anyone remember a high profile McSorley call late in the game back in 1993 Stanley Cup Playoffs? Hey, that made the difference in winning and losing the cup, arguably. Right now, if, and I mean if, a team like Washington makes a run for the last and final spot, you can be sure coaches will be haggling to get Alex to meet the status quo. Right now, they have bigger things on their mind, which in the end, may come back to bite them.
In conclusion, it is a non-issue that should be made a non-issue within the legal boundaries to avoid any controversy.
All aboard the Price bandwagon
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Edited by - Alex on 03/09/2008 11:29:33
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leigh
Moderator
Canada
1755 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 12:28:26
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Lots of players use illegal sticks. It's up to the other team to catch them. Players are usually quite strategic with their use. They'll use an illegal stick for most of the game. Then switch to legal sticks at critical times in an effort to lure the other coach into making the wrong call (and therefore getting his own team a penalty) I love that part of the game. The NHL should not legislate it. Let the coaches deal with it just like they have since curved sticks came into the game.
If I'm not mistaken the NHL raise the amount of curve allowed a few year back...but from what I saw watching the same game Alex, Ovechkin's was DEFINITELY illegal. LOL! |
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Leafs Rock Planet
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
902 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 12:33:17
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Hopefully we have an undercover NHL coach on the boards here that'll try and catch Ovechkin in their next game.
It could happen. 
___________________
Let the Stamkos sweepstakes begin!
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Edited by - Leafs Rock Planet on 03/09/2008 12:33:39 |
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Pasty7
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
2312 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 13:07:18
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ever see the thornton curve that thing isn;t any more legal!!
Pasty |
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PuckNuts
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
2414 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 13:18:17
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You noticed this on a TSN broadcast???
The commentators have no Idea if his stick is illegal. Did they use the measuring tool to see if the curve was more than 3/4 ". I doubt it.
They saw a stick with a large curve, it is not illegal until he is caught with it, and assessed a penalty.
It is up to the opposing team captain to point out a stick infraction during the game, while the player is on the ice, and not after a goal, and ask for a stick measurement.
I would have to ask if breaking the rules is cheating, then hooking, slashing, tripping etc. are all cheating, and this happens every game. I do not consider it cheating, all the players tread a thin line, but when you get caught the team suffers...
[img]http://www.maldesigns.ca/top%2050%20since%201967%20banner.jpg[/img] |
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Alex
PickupHockey All-Star
Canada
2816 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 13:45:23
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Leigh you touched on a great point
They videoed Ovechkin switching sticks multiple times in the game. They went on to analyze the situation. From the coach's point of view, he has no clue if he is right or wrong, first. They face a fine if they are wrong, second. And of course, no one wants to be wrong when accusing one of the games best, third.
Just like they had a mike on Crosby for the game (hence he was featured in ''Sounds of the Game'') they had a camera on Ovechkin on the bench.
This is a tactic used a lot, to get an insiders view of the NHL and to me, it seems quite effective.
I would love to see some of those tapes in full.
While on the topic, I bet most of us do not know that the night Moore got suckerpunched, he had a mike on him. The guys in media thought it would be a good game, not knowing obviously what would happen. This ended up being a very big part of the legal case Steve presented in court.
Back to topic in a roundabout way, no one will chance calling something that is so, in essence, unrelated to who wins and who loses at the end of the day.
All aboard the Price bandwagon |
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Datsyuk 1
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
333 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 14:33:01
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I don't think they should have an ilegal curve rule thats just so dumb.
Good defense is good offense! |
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Beans15
Moderator
Canada
8286 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2008 : 01:03:49
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The reason that coaches don't call this often is twofold. 1st, if they are wrong, I believe they get a 2 minute delay of game penalty. 2ndly, they would only use this tactic if the timing helped their team. I believe it was McSorley who got an illegal stick penalty in the 93 playoffs against Montreal. That is a good time to call an illegal stick.
I would venture to say that the vast majority of players are using some kind of illegal equipment every single game. The players on each team have two sets of sticks. Legal and illegal. A player like Ovechkin will more than likeyl switch every shift and definately use the legal stick in the last 5 minutes of a close game.
But, I just wanted to say that there are FAR more players than Ovechkin doing this. |
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SuperSakic
Rookie
Canada
192 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2008 : 07:43:57
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My philosophy is that this is a game played with sticks. If the length is the same for every player, then I have no problems with how much of a curve a player has. If a player chooses to curve his stick more than the guy next to him, who cares? Everyone should be able to do it. Does it really give the player that much of an advantage? I suppose they get a better wrist shot or a slap shot, but their back-hand suffers as well. So it depends on the player and which attribute they want to excel at the most.
So in my eyes Ovie is not a cheater, but McSorley was....I believe his infraction was having too long of a blade (if memory serves me correctly). |
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PuckNuts
PickupHockey Veteran
Canada
2414 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2008 : 08:02:35
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Two years ago I was playing in a local hockey tournament.
We ended up playing the semi-finals, and then the finals 1 hour apart.
The refs came into our room for a refreshment. The one ref had his hockey bag with him. I noticed a shinny object, and asked him what it was. He pulled out the stick measuring tool that all refs are supposed to have at a game.
We had a discussion about the legalities of sticks, and he replied that 80% of all sticks that were sold in the sports stores have more than the allotted 1/2" curve (the old rule at that time). so I said that mine would be Okay, and he measured all the sticks in the rack, and guess what mine were the only sticks under the 1/2" limit, I do not like a lot of curve...
[img]http://www.maldesigns.ca/top%2050%20since%201967%20banner.jpg[/img] |
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Leafs Rock Planet
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
902 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2008 : 14:38:59
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quote:
Originally posted by PuckNuts
I do not like a lot of curve...
So I see that you are very old fashioned here Pucknuts, not having the big curve and all.
I presume that maybe you play centre or maybe defense?
___________________
Let the Stamkos sweepstakes begin!
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Ovechkin a cheater? 
