Yesterday was weird. I'm glad I get to blog again.
Just wanted to pop in quickly to share yesterday's quirky hockey happening that (by now) you may have already seen, since it's been on all the major sports networks and a few major news networks, too. Which means it was a slow news day. Which is good, considering "news" today is generally equated with "death and crap like that."
Again: this is not just noteworthy because it was fluky (like the Stoner goal) or rare (a once-every-five-years-or-so occurrence) or a major humorous choke by a highly-paid jerk or anything, it's noteworthy because I've never seen this happen. Nor have many coaches, players, and play-by-play men who have spent their entire lives breathing the sport. Check out the first 55 seconds or so of this video:
BANG! Where once there was one, now there is two.
I'm here to answer the question posed by the commentators (and one that, I'm sure, crossed many of your minds as well): If half the puck had crossed the goal line, would they have been given credit for half a goal?
No.
The rule very clearly states that the entire puck must cross the red line completely in order for a goal to count. Otherwise, this would have counted as 0.98 goals and the Sabres would have won the game 3.98-3 in regulation.
Now, had one half the puck passed the red line and the attacking team managed to beat the goalie again with the other half of the puck while the first half was still in the goal, then we might have a quandary. My theory is they'd blow play dead retroactive to when the puck split (since, obviously, the ref blew it dead as soon as it happened, but we're assuming play had continued). Wouldn't it have been cool, though, if the game were briefly played with two half-pucks instead of one whole puck?
That was really all I wanted to say last night.
Oh, and humorous update on the Russian gold medal: Living up to stereotype, the Russian team was kicked off their plane out of the U.S. because the group of 18-and-under lads was too inebriated to fly. Not making this up. Also not making up (and may have mentioned last night): the Swedes left a congratulations poster in the Russian locker room after the Junior Popinskis took down the Canadians in dramatic and stupefying fashion. Turns out, Gretz was right: when it comes to international ice hockey, it really is Canada vs. the world.
Well, now we can go back to being friends.
