Goalies no longer take loss in overtime

[IE]

9/19/2005 4:25:37 PM

Goalies are having to make do with smaller equipment and restrictions on where they can play the puck this season. But they have caught a break with the NHL's new standings format.

For five seasons, starting with 1999-2000, goalies were tagged with a loss in their personal record whether it was a loss in regulation time or overtime. But the two were differentiated in the team standings, with a separate ''OTL'' section since overtime losses carried a point.

Goalies didn't think that was fair.

''I remember the last season that we played, I think I had 19 wins and 15 losses on my record, but a number of those losses in overtime,'' Minnesota Wild goalie Dwayne Roloson said Monday.

But with the advent of the shootout, the NHL has revamped its standings format yet again and this time goalies' personal records will reflect that of their team.





There will be no tie games with the introduction of the shootout this season. Instead, the NHL will record standings under three columns: W (wins), L (losses in regulation time) and OT (overtime and shootout losses).

Goalies will also carry the three-column record.

''It's good that the overtime losses are separate,'' star netminder Jose Theodore of the Canadiens said Monday in Montreal. ''I always said that, as a goalie, it was always frustrating to lose in OT. But overall, a loss or a win doesn't matter, we just want that extra point. At the end of the year, those might be big points.''

Said Roloson: ''That'll balance out the guys' records instead of having wins and a huge amount of losses because we lose in overtime. This will give a more fair understanding of what the goalies have been doing for their team and amongst the league.''

If Martin Biron had his way, the NHL would do even more to fix the oversight.

''Personally I think they should go back five years and change everything so that every overtime loss is re-adjusted and taken out of our personal stats,'' the Buffalo Sabres goalie said Monday. ''At least it's fair now. As a goalie you pride yourself on trying to be at a certain level of competitiveness.

''When you look at some guys' win-loss statistics sometimes, it doesn't truly represent what he did for his team.''

 

[IE]

just a review and reminder of some of rules changes for 2005/2006...

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No more ties

- Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, three players from each team participate in a shootout.

- Each team takes three shots. The team with the most goals after those six shots wins.

- If the score remains tied, the shootout will proceed to a "sudden death" format.

- If a game is decided by a shootout, the final score will give the winning team one more goal than its opponent, based on the score at the end of overtime.

Two-line passes

- Two-line passes will now be legal. The centre-red line will be ignored for off-side purposes.

- The "tag-up" off-side rule returns, allowing play to continue if offensive players who preceded the puck into the zone return to the blue-line and "tag" it.

Restrictions on goalies

- The dimensions of goaltender equipment will be reduced by approximately 11 per cent. In addition to a one-inch reduction (to 11 inches) in the width of legpads, the blocking glove, upper-body protector, pants and jersey also will be reduced in size.

- Penalties for goalies using oversizing equipment are: a two-game suspension, $25,000 fine for the team and trainer gets fined $1,000.

- Goalies may play the puck behind the goal-line only in a trapezoid-shaped area defined by lines that begin six feet from either goal post and extend diagonally to points 28 feet apart at the end boards.

Bigger Offensive Zone

- The blue-lines will be moved closer together to create an additional four feet in each of the offensive zones. That reduces the size of the neutral zone to 50 feet from 54 feet.

- The goal-lines will be moved two feet, to 11 feet from the end boards.

- The width of blue-lines and centre-red line remains unchanged.

Changes to icing

- A team that ices the puck cannot make a line change prior to the ensuing face-off.

- Touch remains in effect but linesmen will be given more discretion to wave off icing infractions if they are deemed the result of an attempted pass.

Changes to instigator rule

- A player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a game will receive a game misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension would double for each additional incident.

- In addition, the player's coach will be fined $10,000 US, a fine that would double for each such incident.

Areas of emphasis for officials

- Zero tolerance on interference, hooking and holding/obstruction.

- Goalies who play the puck behind the goal-line but outside the designated puck-handling area will be penalized for delay of game.

- Goaltenders will be penalized for delaying the game if they "freeze" the puck unnecessarily.

- Any player who shoots the puck directly over the glass in his defending zone will be penalized for delay of game.

Unsportsmanlike conduct

- The league will review and assess fines to players who dive, embellish a fall or a reaction, or who feign injury in an attempt to draw penalties.

- The first such incident will result in a warning letter; the second will result in a $1,000 fine; the third will result in a $2,000 fine; and the fourth incident will result in a one-game suspension.

- Public complaints or derogatory comments toward the game also will result in fines.