Rule change proposal: Penalties in the last two minutes

[talkinaway]

So, I've noticed something that's happened twice in Round 2, and it's bugged me. A player takes a penalty in the last two minutes of the game, and the opposing team doesn't get a full power play, simply because the clock's about to run out - and, to top it all off, the team on the power play is exactly one goal behind - meaning they lose some time to tie up the game.

The two games where this happened are the Game 4 in the Chicago/Minnesota series, and game 3 in the Anaheim/Calgary series. In the first game, Chicago's ahead 4-3, and has a penalty at 19:45 of the third period for too many men on the ice. Minnesota only gets 15 seconds of PP time - and, of course, they don't score in that short time. In the second game, it's a puck over glass penalty that gives Calgary only 92 seconds of PP time while trailing 3-2 - not a terribly unfair, but unfair nonetheless. In that case, Gaudreau does get a PPG, forcing OT, so this rule wouldn't come into play.

Here's my proposal. When a team is 1 goal ahead and commits a non-matching minor penalty in the last 2 minutes of the third period, play continues until the penalty clock runs out - not just the main clock. In theory, the last period could last as long as 22 minutes. If the offending team scores a SHG after the main clock runs out (but the penalty clock is still running), game over, because they're now two goals ahead, and a PPG would empty the penalty clock and they'd still be 1 goal ahead. If the PP team scores after the main clock runs out (but before the penalty clock runs out), then the third period is over, the game is tied, and you go into OT.

I know there are already a few rules in place to prevent stupid fights from happening in the final minutes - like the automatic suspension of an instigator. The only problem I'd see is if there's a brawl at the end of a close game when the game over horn sounds - if one team gets an extra minor, it's back on the ice. That could be a controversial thing. Plus, I'm not sure exactly how to deal with double minors in this case - but a double minor in the last two mintues probably doesn't happen often enough to warrant consideration. I used to think a penalty in the last two minutes didn't happen often enough to warrant consideration, but those two games show that it might be a way to adjust the game to make it more fair.

One technical consideration is that you'd have to add a decimal point to the penalty clock...but I think we have the technology to handle that.

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[Stjonnypopo]

People are going to crap on you because this board hates change, but I think it's a good idea. Those last-minute penalties remove all accountability for a team. It's like when a team is under pressure at the end of the game and throws the puck over the glass. They waste a few seconds and then there's a draw which usually leads to nothing.

This will make the end of games more exciting and less dirty as well. I think it's a good idea.

 

[Crosbyfan]

With the way penalties seem to be called...they seem to call infractions at some threshold but only a certain percentage of the time, and some randomly lower than any established threshold...it seems you will eventually get 2 minutes of PP time added to the clock on some relatively tick tack call on a player playing pretty normally. That could give the feel of the refs completely turning an almost completed game around. It would seem like a "do over" but this time with a man down. I don't think the NHL would want to go to that extent.

What about a "no icing" rule for any penalty kill during the last 2 minutes, and possibly 30 seconds added to the clock for any penalty in the last 30 seconds on a team with a one goal lead? Or at least something less than what you have suggested (which in principle is on the right track IMO).

 

[KingWantsCup]

Not a terrible idea on paper, but I think this would make refs less likely to call anything with under 2 minutes remaining.

 

[Rockaway Rob]

What happens if it's a 5 minute major in the last 2 minutes? Since it doesn't expire if you score, can you win the game without going to OT or once you score a goal does the remaining time carry over to an OT? Also does this mean that even if a team scores a SHG, You keep playing since the team that is losing can score more than one goal on a major penalty?

 

[Swervin81]

The rule sounds fine in theory, but this will make the refs swallow their whistles even more than they do already, which is an outrageous amount. Clutching and grabbing will become even worse.

 

[madhi19]

It won't work for more than a few reasons. The trailing team will try to abuse it by stirring crap up to get a overreaction, and maybe a call. In response the refs will swallow their whistle even more, and we are back at square one except with even more late game shenanigan. Also the NHL want at worse 2 Hours 30 minutes game time because of TV, and travel. The NHL play annually 1230 regular season games, and after almost all of them somebody is always travelling out. That a crap load of travel trips that can and will go wrong at some point. The sooner a team can be out the arena the better it is logistically. And that just the teams, the referring staff and league officials are also on the clock and on the move.

What could really work is no more icing on the PK. And I would not mind if they added 10 seconds on the clock every time a illegal icing take place in the last 5 minutes of a game. Meaning you can't end a game in desperation by icing the puck knowing the time will run out before the ref blow it dead.

 

[Clumsyhab]

What if there is a penalty @ 21:58, 23:58, 25:58 ....

 

[talkinaway]

I agree that the main problem with this rule change seems to be the refs. It bugs me that the rules are applied differently by different refs, against teams/players differently, and at different points in the game...but removing myself from the Platonic ideal of what a hockey game should look like, yeah, I can see that being an issue. Plus, multiple penalties and/or majors could be an issue. It just bugged me to see Minnesota cheated out of 1:45 of penalty time - even if it was on a too-many-men penalty that was most likely caused by a collective brain fart.

That said, it's at least my casual observation that the refs really do swallow their whistles in the last couple of minutes of a game. No stats to back it up, though. But in both penalties I cited, it was a penalty that the refs would have had great difficulty ignoring - too many men, and puck over the glass.

I don't really see this being an issue with extending the average time of a game. The situation itself is pretty rare - you have to have a 1 goal differential in the "right" direction, AND a penalty called in the last two minutes. And it's not that you're adding a full two minutes - a penalty called 19 minutes into the third period would only add 1 minute to the clock, and a penalty called 18:10 into the third would only add 10 seconds. If the length of a game were really a concern, there wouldn't be talk of a 7 minute OT. Worse case scenario, just deduct the extra time from OT if a PP goal is scored - you'd have the same 65 minutes played, just a little more in regulation, and a little less in OT.

 

[Crosbyfan]

What if there is a penalty @ 21:58, 23:58, 25:58 ....

I think that is at least in part why adding 2 minutes each time is too long...

... 30 seconds twice maximum then a penalty shot??

 

[Not So Mighty]

I don't like it. It's a 60 minute game. It's not like guys are out there taking dangerous runs at each other in the final minute of games. It's not a serious safety issue and so a new rule isn't necessary.

I also don't want to see more shootouts so it's a gigantic no from me.

 

[Mandar]

On a similar thought....if a team ends any period with pp time still left, why not have the opening faceoff of the next period in the offensive zone of the team with the pp? I always though it was a disadvantage to the team with the man advantage to start a period at center ice......thoughts?

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

I don't like it. It's a 60 minute game. It's not like guys are out there taking dangerous runs at each other in the final minute of games.

No, they're just hooking and holding and interfering and tackling and groping as much as they want. And why shouldn't they? - they take a penalty, and now they can fling the puck at the empty net at every opportunity with no fear of icing. It's BS.

 

[Jonesey]

On a similar thought....if a team ends any period with pp time still left, why not have the opening faceoff of the next period in the offensive zone of the team with the pp? I always though it was a disadvantage to the team with the man advantage to start a period at center ice......thoughts?

That's... interesting. I never thought of that.

 

[5 14 6 1]

I like the idea.

 

[Summer Rose]

Creates a bit of a slippery slope argument though... what if the rule were in effect and 15 seconds into the power play, the team up a man then takes a penalty? Do you add on another 15 seconds so they play 1:45 of 4 on 4 and then 15 seconds of 5 on 4 for the other team? How about if the team down a man takes another penalty? So on and so forth.

It's a nice sentiment, but making a change like this means you would have to answer lots of hypothetical situations that could potentially happen. You have to draw the line somewhere, and I think the line should be just not extending regulation time in the first place.

In respects to a power play being split up by an intermission, I briefly thought about suggesting that the period be extended to allot for the entire power play (but the extra time being played being cut from the next period) but then I realized that has pretty much the same slippery slope. I'd just leave everything as is. It's not perfect, but attempts to "fix" it could make it even more broken.

 

[Preisst*]

Sounds like a lot of useless molly coddling to me. Oh that poor team doesn't get a full 2 minute PP cuz the game is about to end. My dear we should just bastardize the whole concept of a 60 minute game for those poor poor teams.

Wow.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Sounds like a lot of useless molly coddling to me. Oh that poor team doesn't get a full 2 minute PP cuz the game is about to end. My dear we should just bastardize the whole concept of a 60 minute game for those poor poor teams.

Wow.

So you're on the side of the teams who use the limited time to their advantage by using every dirty trick in the book to thwart scoring attempts because there's so little time left and a power play is meaningless, so go ahead and haul any player down by any means necessary. That's an even more bastardized version of hockey right there.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Refs wont call any penalties in the last 2 minutes

I mean its kind of cool, But its also really stupid at the same time.

 

[Preisst*]

So you're on the side of the teams who use the limited time to their advantage by using every dirty trick in the book to thwart scoring attempts because there's so little time left and a power play is meaningless, so go ahead and haul any player down by any means necessary. That's an even more bastardized version of hockey right there.

Laugh Out Loud.......

Every dirty little trick? Ridiculous. Do you actually think a team up by one goal in the last two minutes of a game are intentionally taking penalties to give the other team a Power Play? Sounds naive to me.

This whole concept is inane.

Refs wont call any penalties in the last 2 minutes

I mean its kind of cool, But its also really stupid at the same time.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

I'm usually against big changes to the rules but this is actually a great idea. It (1) addresses a legitimate problem, and (2) is a reasonable solution.

There are lots of hypothetical situations that could arise but I'm sure there would be reasonable solutions to them.

 

[coolboarder]

I personally hate the leading team ice the puck down the ice get the seconds shaved off. I personally think that the teams should earn their way to the center ice rather than dump the puck down the ice for a icing to shave off seconds. I propose at the 2:00 left in the game, any icing call must be added 5 seconds to the game clock, goes along with no line change. It is easier to dump the puck down for an empty net goal or icing to shave off the seconds than to earn the red line. A few extra seconds make the difference whether they could score or not.

Another than that, a penalty committed in last 1:59 should result in a penalty shot, any type of penalties. It should be considered a special rules in the game, just like the NFL, a football game cannot end on a defensive penalty when the clock expires.

With this special rules, the ref would be more accountable for any missed calls and he cannot avoid the missed call just because he does not want to influence the game and let the players play. This is rubbish. The leading team that committed a penalty, the trailing team has a choice, a penalty shot or a PP of their choice.

A scenario: a 5 seconds left in the game, he made a beautiful pass from the cycle to the slot for a one-timer, that shot could be a potential game-tying goal only to be hooked by the trailing player and the shot did not go and the puck went harmless out of the zone. With this act, this should be a penalty and even the ref calls this a penalty, they won't get a shot off because the time ran out. Without this rules, this will be a injustice act and no way of remedy this potential situation and the game clock expires without any chance all because of this penalty. The same can be made for a too many men on the ice for 15 seconds and they do not have enough time for the justice to be served.

 

[Kane One]

I think you'll see the losing team diving like crazy until they tie it up on the PP. If they are on the PP and there's like 10 seconds left, they can just dive and get another PP with the game being extended even more.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

I think you'll see the losing team diving like crazy until they tie it up on the PP. If they are on the PP and there's like 10 seconds left, they can just dive and get another PP with the game being extended even more.

This is a legitimate concern, but I think players would be somewhat reluctant to significantly ruin a chance at a comeback if they're called for diving.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Regulation should remain 60 min exactly regardless of if their is a power play for the losing team. Also bad reffing would be a bigger factor which I hate.