Curbing of restraining fouls opens up offense, flow of game

Kevin Oklobzija
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

When scores in the NHL and American Hockey League resembled soccer games, it
wasn't necessarily a bad trend.

But when the style of play looked more like Major League Soccer, with goalies
facing just two or three quality scoring chances, the NHL knew it was time for a
radical change.

"You had all this skill and no one got a chance to see it," Rochester Americans
left winger Michael Ryan said of the way hockey was played in recent years.

To remedy the situation, the NHL's hockey department opened the rulebook and
ordered their referees to call it like it reads.

The result has been a game where skilled players can skate and dazzle but one
where rugged, hard-hitting defensemen and wingers can still make the boards
rattle.

Scoring is up, outnumbered rushes are prevalent and legal tackling is now found
only in the NFL.

"The premise was to allow guys with skill not to be taken advantage of," Ryan
said. "Certain guys are exciting to watch because they've got great hands and
great vision.

"Before, you could catch a glimpse of it at certain times but now you can see it
every night."

That's because defensemen can't take one hand off their stick and wrap it around
the puck carrier. Wingers can't step in front of a forechecker and pin him to
the boards when the puck is 50 feet away. If a player puts his stick on an
opponent above the waist, hooking very likely will be called.

"They wanted to put speed back in the game and I think it's working," said
Amerks defenseman Brandon Smith, a 12th-year pro.

In some ways, hockey officiating resembles basketball. On the hardwood, if the
player with the ball is hacked or held, a foul is called. It's the same on the
ice.

"When a guy is going to the basket, you can't lay a hand on him," Amerks winger
Chris Thorburn said. "That's happening here, now."

But very unlike basketball, players are still encouraged to send bodies flying.
Critics of this year's crackdown on obstruction and free-hand fouls say the game
is now less physical.

"It sure shouldn't be," Amerks coach Randy Cunneyworth said. "The only way you
can knock a guy off the puck now is with the body."

There may, however, be less physical play once a forechecking team starts to
cycle the puck along the boards.

"You can't overhit in tight because if you spin off, I can't hook you back like
I used to be able to do," Syracuse Crunch coach Gary Agnew said.

Players have learned that fact very quickly. Many power plays have been a result
of that type of restraining foul.

"Some guys are a little more hesitant to battle in the corner, they're afraid to
get their stick tied up and take a tripping penalty or hooking penalty," said
Brian Gionta, the New Jersey Devils right winger from Greece.

At 5-feet-7, Gionta is the shortest player in the NHL. Yet he entered the week
among the NHL's top 10 goal scorers.

"It's not just for the little guys like (Tampa Bay's Martin) St. Louis and
Gionta, it's for the big guys like (Boston's) Joe Thornton," Ryan said. "Look at
(New York Rangers star Jaromir) Jagr. He looks like he's trying harder and
having a lot more fun."

Jagr headed into Tuesday second in the NHL with 19 goals. Gionta has scored 13
and ranked third in power-play goals with nine, in large part because he can now
go to the front of the net, establish position and deflect point shots.

In the past, defensemen were always allowed to bash opponents away with slashes
and cross checks. Hulking power forwards took a beating. Mighty mites like
Gionta pretty much suffered the same fate as a gnat heading toward a bug zapper.

"When you're in front, it's nice to know no one can chop you down or cross check
you in the back," Thorburn said.

The new enforcement of rules isn't only with offense in mind, either. On
faceoffs, obstruction by the attacking team's winger is called, too.

"If we lose a faceoff and I'm busting through to get to the point man (to block
a shot), they can't get in front of me," Amerks right winger Jason Pominville
said.

For the first month, it wasn't unusual for one team to have 10 power plays in a
game. Even Friday, the Amerks had 10 power plays and the Crunch nine.

Players are still learning. Old habits are tough to break. For maybe a decade,
players were taught to play the clutch, hook, hold and tackle style.

"Guys are catching on but you still catch yourself giving a little hook, a
little tug," Smith said.

The NHL, which employs AHL referees, maintains the crackdown will continue all
season.

"I think even the refs' jobs are in jeopardy if they're not calling it,"
Pominville said. "I think the fans like it. I've seen a difference in the speed
of the game, the number of odd-man rushes and guys trying stuff (based on
skill)."

The idea is to find a happy medium, not for each game to be a power-play
bonanza.

"Hockey's a fun, grueling sport," Thorburn said. "You don't want to take away
from that. Let the playmakers play and let the grinders grind."

November 23, 2005


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