Drummond's Goal Made It 1-0

[KirkEisenbeis]

During the live telecast, when I was watching replays of the first goal in the championship game, I saw Smaby get his skate pulled out from under him by Jeff Drummond just before Drummond scored. In watching the recording at home, I wanted to see how Drummond got there, and to my surprise, he was playing lead blocker the whole way into the zone.

Like I mention in the gallery intro, this is not sour grapes. I just find it interesting. The better I understand the game, the more of this kind of thing I see. I also note that none of the Sioux petitioned the ref for a call after the play finished, presumably meaning they didn't feel greatly wronged.

http://siouxsports.com/hockey/galleries/59.htm

Thoughts?

[sprig]

An interesting series of pictures, I didn't notice what lead to the goal. A typical Denver pick play, although in this case, 2 dmen are taken out by the same Denver wing (Drummond).

They didn't lead the country in scoring most of the year for any other reason, they are the best picking team in the country. It's a step up from the tackling team they became a few years ago, but nonetheless constant interference leading to goals.

They did the same thing against Bemidji leading to the GWG, although the pick was in the Denver end and led to an odd man situation in front of the Bemidji net.

The big question is, how does a team get away with this stuff for an entire year, and in the NCAA's also. Tackling got them a championship last year, picks to set up goals got them where they are this year. Wonder if anyone will notice. When I first saw this stuff live at the REA, thought it was just the ineptitude of little Shep that led to no calls and Denver goals, however, seeing it with different officials who were otherwise calling the games rather tightly, I would guess other teams will have to pick up on this type of play and do it themselves, until the hockey world decides to make it a point of emphasis in officiating.

[The Sicatoka]

I thought calling obstruction and calling the rule book as written were already NCAA rules points of emphasis.

[PCM]

Relating to this situation, here are a few interesting quotes from the NCAA's Sept. 2, 2004, open letter to the ice hockey community:

We have a general target: allowing all players the right to meet their offensive and defensive responsibilities without being held, hooked, or otherwise obstructed. While we hope to see increased offensive opportunities from this initiative, there is evidence that attacking players are also frequent offenders in the area of obstruction (e.g., face-off picks).

Any player in pursuit of a puck or open lane shall not lose a perceived positional advantage by the illegal use of hands, arms, or stick by an opponent. If a player is deprived of that advantage by an illegal act (e.g., hook, hold, interference, etc.), the appropriate penalty must be called.

Please note: the illegal acts we are targeting include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

[The Sicatoka]

Along those lines, look where Stastny's stick is and what's in Stastny's left hand.

That's from the In-Forum Frozen Four Photo Gallery.

[PCM]

From Page 8 of the 2005 NCAA Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations:

Point of Emphasis

The

[PCM]

Here's an interesting note on interference from the NCAA rule book:

Note: The last player to touch the puck, other than the goalkeeper, shall be considered the player in possession. In interpreting this rule, a referee should make sure which of the players is the one creating the interference

[KirkEisenbeis]

I remember being baffled at how this relatively slow-moving, close-quarters play could turn into a goal--the defensemen were seemingly helpless against the play. (Now it's more obvious. ) It's unusual that a two-on-two comes straight down the slot rather than being spread out horizontally.

[sagard]

Picks in hockey are part of the game, always have been and always will be. Referees are put in a tough position by having to decide whether or not the offensive player cross the line into interference or if they are just battling for position. In the Gophers case Irmen was in fact sent to the box (correctly) for basically setting a pick on a UND player in the semi's.

Lot's of effective cycling includes a timely pick that releases a puck carrier from a corner to a shooting position.

I think the article posted said it best with the frame stating the puck should not have gotten past Parise.

I certainly agree with the sentiment that DU seems to have been very effective with their picking/obstruction game while on the attack. If I recall the DU OT goal at the X against UND, I believe Gauthier tried a pass or a shot and it bounced back to him. He was then able to walk it in as the two Sioux defensemen were engaged with other DU forwards.

[PCM]

I suspect that if you picked apart many goals, you'd find someone on the offense or the defense doing something that the rules say they shouldn't be.

[dagies]

I'm not knowledgeable to "pick" this up when I'm watching a game. Have read other comments that the Sioux do a fair amount of this as well?

[sagard]

I'm not knowledgeable to "pick" this up when I'm watching a game.  Have read other comments that the Sioux do a fair amount of this as well?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sure that depends on who you ask. I don't think there is anything wrong with it either way. The plays that are obvious in real time often get called. Tallackson for sure got nailed for this several times this year, but subtlety isn't exactly his strong suit.

[sprig]

Of course picking is a part of everyone's game. I've not seen any other team's pick stand out as so obvious as those of Denver's, even on TV. They flat out knock people down from behind to create odd man situations. Obvious and easily called.

The Drummond interference that started this thread is not nearly as obvious as many Denver picks.

[KirkEisenbeis]

Along those lines, look where Stastny's stick is and what's in Stastny's left hand.

<picture>

We can't pretend that he got away with that one.

DEN-5 Paul Stastny (2-Holding) NDK 11:37 2nd Period

The Drummond interference that started this thread is not nearly as obvious as many Denver picks.

I'd say it wasn't as obvious live, but more grevious than average.