Pronger falls victim to "Avery Rule"

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

As the rule is written, Pronger did nothing wrong. However, Pronger did violate the spirit of the rule. That being said, the ref should have never made the call and the goal should have been allowed to stand. This is a dangerous precedent for making up rules on the ice to fit certain situations.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

As a Wings fan, I don't care if it was the wrong call or not.

What is important is Pronger shafted his team because he decided to wave his hand in the goaltender's face instead of actually try and screen the goaltender. Good job, Chris.

Kipper also let in a goal because he was busy slashing Pronger instead of playing the puck. Lucky for him, the refs bailed him out.

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

Both sides of the argument.

Asked if he received an explanation, Pronger said, "There was no explanation on the ice because they know they screwed up, that's why."

Pronger said he was directing traffic on the ice.

"I wasn't turned around waving at him," Pronger said. "I put my hand back on my stick on the puck went in the net. It's infuriating. It should've been two points instead of one. There's no question about it. All you have to do is watch the replay. It doesn't really matter, does it? I'm not going to get into a he said she said with the refs."

Replays showed Pronger extending his hand toward Kiprusoff while briefly facing him.

"It's the right call," Kiprusoff said. "Maybe the referee called it a little late, but he saw it. That's why he called it. I think everybody saw it. He did it before the shot, but that's the rule. If you do it, that's automatically 2 minutes."

NHL Recap

Edited November 26, 2010 by Howard He Do It?!

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Kipper also let in a goal because he was busy slashing Pronger instead of playing the puck. Lucky for him, the refs bailed him out.

I'm not saying the call was legitimate at all. But I hate Pronger and think he is a douchebag and this is a reason why.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I'm not saying the call was legitimate at all. But I hate Pronger and think he is a douchebag and this is a reason why.

Agreed. It was the wrong call, but I don't exactly feel bad about it. And I don't even hate Pronger as much as most folks around here.

[drwscc 212]

Pronger was totally directing traffic on that, he didn't even look at where Kipper was. Kipper seems like more of a ****** on this than Pronger does.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Why did the referees take so long to make the call? If that wasn't a goal, maybe that call isn't made. Besides, it was a "called shot"; George Herman Ruth did it a long time ago (allegedly).

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

ANyone see Pronger's post game comments? Pretty friggin hilarious.

"I don't want to get into he-said she-said with the refs... I'm the he."

EDIT: ah, crap. this clip doesn't have all his post game comments. He was pretty funny actually.

Edited November 27, 2010 by haroldsnepsts

[titanium2 867]

"There was no explanation on the ice because they know they screwed up, that's why."

Interesting. Anyone think he'll get fined?

[Konnan511 1,736]

Interesting. Anyone think he'll get fined?

Meh. Did Selanne?

[titanium2 867]

Meh. Did Selanne?

Fantastic point. A fine seems no longer in question.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Meh. Did Selanne?

I don't believe it is made public when a player is fined by the league for comments.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I don't believe it is made public when a player is fined by the league for comments.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm pretty sure they become public knowledge. Brandon Dubinsky's fine was made public. Nick Foligno and Edmonton’s Tom Gilbert were fined for blindside hits to the head this season. I don't think they always give a number, but I'm pretty sure they are made public.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Interesting. Anyone think he'll get fined?

I was just about to post this. A huge fine could be coming Pronger's way for questioning the "Right 99.9% of the time" officials.

[StayClassy 38]

It was remotely similar to what Avery did. That is the exact kind of thing the NHL clearly doesn't want it's players doing, and I don't blame them. I will agree the wording of the rule right now does make it iffy though, gutsy call by the ref especially since Pronger's arm was down before the shot.

[Nev 1,085]

You are all whining and calling foul ONLY because its Pronger and you all hate him.

I'm confused, you're saying that like its a bad thing?

Pronger has no grounds for complaint, he should consider that a tiny fraction of payback for the 20 cross-checks he gets away with every game.

[seeinred 1,488]

Most of you condemning this call either don't know or are pretending not to know that unsportsmanlike conduct can be called for any (get this now) conduct the referee deems to be unsportsmanlike. It doesn't need to be one of the examples listed in the rule book. It may have been a bad call, but to call it the wrong call seems a little presumptuous to me

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Most of you condemning this call either don't know or are pretending not to know that unsportsmanlike conduct can be called for any (get this now) conduct the referee deems to be unsportsmanlike. It doesn't need to be one of the examples listed in the rule book. It may have been a bad call, but to call it the wrong call seems a little presumptuous to me

Wonder how long Homer is called for an unsportsmanlike penalty. Blocking the goaltenders view of the puck surely is unfair and therefore must be considered unsportsmanlike, right?

[puckloo39 5,686]

I hate Pronger worse than a case of head lice... but that was kind of funny. And I didn't think it was all that bad. But it was nice to see him in the box, anyway.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Terrible call. I hate Pronger but he only stuck his hand out for 1 second and it had no impact on the goal and didn't distract Kipper.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

You guys are nuts. Clearly ACCORDING TO THE RULE BOOK, that was the wrong call. You are all whining and calling foul ONLY because its Pronger and you all hate him. Don't let your biases cloud the fact that what he did was clearly within the rules 100%. I'm pretty sure he was the one to tip the pass too, its not like he was just gooning it up like Avery.

Seems like you are all whining without actually having seen the video. His hand is up for less than 1 second, nothing even remotely similar to what Avery did.

Just because you hate Pronger doesn't make it the right call.

Perhaps so, but Pronger has done little/nothing to help his standing in here or in general as one of the league's dirtiest players. Not suggesting that he changes his game to do that just to cater to fans which is absurd obviously, but don't act surprised when people don't really feel sorry for him in a situation like this given his past incidents, whether those instances or this call was fair or not.

[dicksmack 33]

Wonder how long Homer is called for an unsportsmanlike penalty. Blocking the goaltenders view of the puck surely is unfair and therefore must be considered unsportsmanlike, right?

You aren't getting the idea. A player can stand in front of the goalie in an effort to deflect pucks as well as try to screen the goalie. Waving your hand in front of the his face serves no other purpose but to block his view and it looks ridiculously bush league. Excellent call by the ref.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

You aren't getting the idea. A player can stand in front of the goalie in an effort to deflect pucks as well as try to screen the goalie. Waving your hand in front of the his face serves no other purpose but to block his view and it looks ridiculously bush league. Excellent call by the ref.

I can see that, but when it all comes to a head, blocking the goalies view is blocking the goalies view.

[ACallToArms 270]

Even though this is a penalty and not a suspension, it still falls inline with the NHL's suspension flow chart:

http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/11/nhl-suspensions.html

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Even though this is a penalty and not a suspension, it still falls inline with the NHL's suspension flow chart:

http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/11/nhl-suspensions.html

Damnit Pronger!