Listen to that jackass. “The guy runs me over” indeed. Let’s not leave this up to interpretation. From the NHL rule book on goaltender interference:
69.1 Interference on the Goalkeeper – This rule is based on the premise that an attacking player’s position, whether inside or outside the crease, should not, by itself, determine whether a goal should be allowed or disallowed. In other words,goals scored while attacking players are standing in the crease may, in appropriate circumstances be allowed. Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease. Incidental contact with a goalkeeper will be permitted, and resulting goals allowed, when such contact is initiated outside of the goal crease, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.
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69.4 Contact Outside the Goal Crease – If an attacking player initiates any contact with a goalkeeper, other than incidental contact, while the goalkeeper is outside his goal crease, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.
A goalkeeper is not “fair game” just because he is outside the goal crease. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an attacking player makes unnecessary contact with the goalkeeper. However, incidental contact will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such unnecessary contact.
Look at the replay at 2:36. Jokinen is skating 2 to 3 feet outside the crease, past the crease facing the puck carrier. Guess who else is facing that way? Guess who can’t help but see Jokinen skating that way? Oh my! Lookie there! Brodeur skated right out and bumped Jokinen from behind, praying for a call. After flailing his arms dramatically for a call, he reset, he was square, he was set, then the puck beat him shortside. Jokinen did not initiate the contact, he didn’t get entangled with Brodeur and Brodeur was the only one with the ability to avoid contact in the area 3 feet outside his crease. He chose to skate into Jokinen’s path. He initiated contact outside of his crease.
Wrong, Chico. You are “being a homer” here. And Brodeur played for the call, initiating contact, instead of playing the save. Canes win, Brodeur breaks his stick and cries. That’s a perfect finish to me.
