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The Ryan Miller and Jordin Tootoo incident has easily become the most talked about thing in hockey right now. Watching the play unfold, and subsequent replays, I was furious. The in arena angle was good enough at regular speed for full clarification. But it was good enough to see Miller repeatedly unload punch after punch on Tootoo. So i decided to not read any other articles on the subject and to also wait and let my emotion subside to look a little more clearly. I have watched the video over and over at full speed, slow motion, and frame by frame. The following are my thoughts, mine alone, and I will be the first to admit, I am not the most knowledgeable person on rules but these are my interpretations.
In the first picture, Which is a screenshot of the video, I have 3 arrows. The blue arrow points to what is clearly enough Christian Ehrhoff’s still outstretched arm after the hit. The Red arrow shows Tootoo, in a more upright then horizontal “diving” posture. The third, orange arrow, shows Ryan Miller’s head. Now again, I am not an expert, but I am watching the replay, and if I were going to charge into someone or dive into them, I believe I would be targeting their body. Not trying to jump up and and belly flop on the head.
The second picture, from a different angle , shows Jordin in front of, not completely on top of Miller as he comes down. Now, watching the video, Toot’s body, as does, Miller’s turn and twist in different ways as it unfolds. But this angle to me, shows that as Toots went up, he made an effort to avoid Miller, instead of angling himself onto him.
Tootoo was playing the puck to begin with and in literally less than a second he went from playing the puck, to being checked, and then hitting miller in less than another second..Common sense says Tootoo, or anyone else isn’t going to have time to even process the idea to run into another player. In slow motion, the incident from losing puck to both players on ice is 5 seconds.
Now, this video is best viewed on mute. So as to not hear the MSG announcers, and the homerism here shows, with the quote “I have no problem with what Miller does.” Let’s take a look, per NHL.com, and the NHL rulebook:
46.1 Fighting – A fight shall be deemed to have occurred when at least one player (or goalkeeper) punches or attempts to punch an opponent repeatedly…
Miller clearly punches and attempts to Punch Tootoo repeatedly. Now further down the rule does state: The Referees are provided very wide latitude in the penalties with which they may impose under this rule. This is done intentionally to enable them to differentiate between the obvious degrees of responsibility of the participants either for starting the fighting or persisting in continuing the fighting. The discretion provided should be exercised realistically.
Watching the video, what “degree of responsibility” is their with Miller, who is clearly throwing punch after punch while Tootoo is down on ice and not making any attempt to fight.
Now, suppose Miller is just “defending” himself, knowing that when the Lucic hit occurred no teammate stuck up for him…
Table 15 - Rule 28 - Goalkeeper’s Penalties
Summary of Goalkeeper Penalties(xiii) Using blocking glove to punch an opponent in the head or face
Now lets take a look at Rule 51:
51.3 Match Penalty - If, in the judgment of the Referee, a goalkeeper uses his blocking glove to punch an opponent in the head or face in an attempt to or to deliberately injure an opponent, a match penalty must be assessed.
So now we have what here in picture 3, is Miller, using a blocking glove, deliberately punching Tootoo..Now, Miller was not called for any penalties at all, but, based on this rule, I believe 51.3 applies, and what you may ask, is a Match penalty? well:
27.5 Match Penalty to Goalkeeper – Should a goalkeeper incur a match penalty, his place will then be taken by a member of his own Club, or by a substitute goalkeeper who is available, and such player will be allowed the goalkeeper’s full equipment.
Now, since we are looking at rules, here is charging:
Rule 42 - Charging
42.1 Charging - A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player who skates or jumps into, or charges an opponent in any manner.
Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A “charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.
A minor, major or a major and a game misconduct shall be imposed on a player who charges a goalkeeper while the goalkeeper is within his goal crease.
A goalkeeper is not “fair game” just because he is outside the goal crease area. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an opposing player makes unnecessary contact with a goalkeeper. However, incidental contact, at the discretion of the Referee, will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.
So, if we can agree that Tootoo was in fact hit into or towards Miller, I question the call “as a result of distance traveled”. This wasn’t Jordin making a run at from open ice into the crease.
When we break the entire situation down, We have no clear cut evidence that Jordin Tootoo intentionally ran into Ryan Miller. We have Ryan Miller turn and immediately start punching Tootoo as Jordin hits the ice. I am not getting into the subsequent actions of Gaustad, or any other player on either team. This is just looking at the actual primary incident, the incident that everyone is talking about and which is obviously going to result in a hearing with the NHL. I would personally feel that any further action against Jordin Tootoo would completely be out of place. As for Buffalo fans who disagree, I would like to point out Miller’s reaction and the above mentioned penalties. Again these are just my thoughts. I am simply trying to go by what the angles show, and the NHL rulebook.
The video I used was from Youtube, and HockeyVault. You can watch the video here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKIf3aYmBoA
