I'm sure by now many of you have heard about how the NHL is cracking down on blindside and lateral hits on players. It's called Rule 48.
According to the NHL official rule 48.1, a lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact is not permitted. It carries a five minute major penalty and automatic game misconduct. A match penalty can also be enforced if the referees determine the player intended to deliberately harm his opponent with the hit.
I am all for Rule 48 as it helps curtail much of the "dirty" play in the NHL. Go ahead and get rid of the cheap-shot artists but at the same time we have to be careful as vicious hits (legal ones) will always be a fun part of the game. Don't like it? Don't lace 'em up.
However with many of the accompanying penalties now associated with this rule, isn't it also important to make sure the player in question actually committed the crime?
A prime example of how this rule was implemented unfairly was in a recent game involving the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders. New York forw ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Dominic Errico
NHL: Why Instant Replay Is Needed To Review Blindside Hits
October 18th, 2010 by Dominic Errico Leave a reply »
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