Thoughts on the Four Minute High Sticking Penalties

[Guest zackmorris]

Stupid rule. Pick 2 or 4, or get a better way to judge. It's like that stupid "intent" facemask call the NFL used to call. Guess the difference is the NFL knows how to improve the little things in their game while the NHL lives in la-la land.

A harder high stick could potentially not draw blood, while a lighter high stick could hit a sensitive spot and draw a river of blood. It's just a stupid rule that like most judgments in hockey, relies on hindsight to judge how bad the infraction was instead of beforehand like they should've. Like a clean hit that is huge and injures someone. Right Havlat?

Edited February 6, 2010 by zackmorris

[titanium2 867]

Maybe our guys should cut themselves with razors, like they do in pro wrestling.

Oh no! Stone Cold! Austin is bleeding!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smI-QtAIAmw

[Guest zackmorris]

Oh no! Stone Cold! Austin is bleeding!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smI-QtAIAmw

BUH GAWD! STOWN COWLD! STOWN COLD!

sorry...had to

[hokeychik22 17]

stitch it up and continue playing. its hockey for crying out loud. live through the pain/blood. Unless he is bleeding and down for awhile...

i have a perfect quote for this in a hockey book i have, if i find it i'll post it.

Edited February 6, 2010 by hokeychik22

[seeinred 1,488]

The rule doesn't say anything about blood. It refers only to injury. And if you're bleeding, you're injured. Even if it's just a tiny little itty bitty injury, that's still what it is. Refs can call 4 minute penalties on high sticks that don't draw blood, too, and I really think they should do it more.

[Stiffy 0]

I agree 100% - I've always thought the same thing... I think it should be judged 100% on severity and not on blood... a guy can take a brutal high stick in the throat (Ribeiro) and it will only be a 2 minute, even though it collapses the guys air pipe, but if he gets a little split lip - 4 minutes...

Anyway, I agree... it's odd...

I agree, but it would be too subjective and we all know how well that works in the NHL. The worst are the unintentional ones that bring a little blood and the 4 minutes

Edited February 6, 2010 by Stiffy