Delay of Game Penalty: An ode to hindsight

"The puck over the glass rule may be my fault."

My jaw dropped. And I might have gasped. I didn't mean to. This is, after all, the commissioner of the American Hockey League, David Andrews, we're interviewing and I'm desperately trying to hold together whatever professionalism I've been able to muster.

But, really, who admits this? Does anybody appreciate that forehead slapper of a penalty? Is there anybody who watches a player launch an unfettered puck into the crowd on a clearing attempt who thinks, "Yeah, you deserve 2 minutes for that. Lousy cheating punk." Of course not. Pucks just want to be souvenirs sometimes. They need a rule for that?

So, I guess it takes a certain kind of guy to say, essentially, that one's on me. At least he appeared rather contrite while talking about how, prior to the lockout year, he sold the idea to the AHL board, consisting of representatives from both AHL and most NHL teams, who voted it in unanimously.

"First of all, it would give an advantage to the offense, which all those rule changes that year were about creating more offense," Andrews explained the rationale. "So, why would you let somebody fire it over the glass to take the heat off?"

"Secondly, we'd not long before that put the netting up, so if we make it a penalty to throw it into the crowd and there's some kind of safety benefit, great."

The argument seems rather thin in hindsight, and Andrews' tone seems to acknowledge this. Confession is good for the soul though. I respect this.

But after one season, it was voted out just as unanimously. "The coaches hated it. The players hated it." Andrews said coaches felt they were losing games because of the rule, that the rule was excessively punitive.

"In a perfect world, that rule would not apply if you were a man short, in my opinion," Andrews said.

"All of a sudden, it's a 5-on-3 and basically an automatic goal. And that's a big price to pay for the puck clearing the glass instead of chipping off someone's stick or chipping off the glass or whatever."

The "over the glass" delay of game penalty stuck in the NHL after the league resumed play post-lockout, and returned to the AHL this season to align the league with the NHL rulebook.

Andrews was blunt that they don't always like the rules they have to implement in the name of the NHL and this is one of them. Still, both leagues see such alignment as a necessity given the number of players who shuttle back and forth between leagues (over 200 this year alone).

He also said he has not seen anything noteworthy coming down the pipe for next season and rules should be relatively status quo. He does anticipate some calls for the 3-man shootout to apply in the AHL, but Andrews is willing to push back on this one.

"[It] would be a mistake. If you like the shootout, 5 is better. If you don't like the shootout, 5 is better. The reason people don't like the shootout is it's not a fair way to decide it, but if you're going 3 shooters, first goal wins pretty much," Andrews said.

Asked about the points allocation for wins and losses (currently 2 points for a win and 1 for an overtime or shootout loss), he said the subject has not come up in a while and he didn't expect it to change.

The league has run the numbers to see if points allocation changes (such as 3 for a regulation win, 2 for a SO/OT win and 1 for a SO/OT loss) would have affected the standings and the answer was no.

"It didn't really change what was happening there, and it just gave an appearance of greater gaps between teams" making leads in the standings look nearly insurmountable in the current paradigm, Andrews explained.

So, don't expect the rules of the game to look too different next season. And don't be too hard on Andrews for that "over the glass" thing. I get the feeling he'd take it back if he could.

Bad Statistics .... BAD!

Here is some relatively bad news for Aeros fans tonight:

The Milwaukee Admirals, coming off a 2-1 loss to Rockford the other night, have only lost back-to-back games in regulation twice this season.

And it has not happened since Dec. 19 and 20, 2008.

Also, following a regulation loss, the Admirals have just one shootout/overtime loss this year.

What does this mean? They don't lose back to back games very often.

Bradley Center has been a HOUSE OF HORRORS for the Aeros recently, and I expect that to continue tonight. Who knows, though. Maybe they are due.

--Aeroscribe

Down the stretech

This is one of the best playoffs races we've seen in the West, because this one is going down to the last weekend I think.

Six teams are battling for the last three playoff spots, although one of them, Quad City, is on life support. And if you take a look at the chart below (and I apologize for its low quality ... just click on it for a bigger version), they have one of the hardest schedules of any remaining team in contention. In my opinion, Iowa has the second toughest schedule, and I think the last three spots are going to come down to who plays their best hockey before, yes BEFORE April 4. Do you agree?

What do you think of this chart? Ask questions ... that is what we are all paid for here at The Third Intermission

--Aeroscribe

Ah, so now I get it

Since ... I don't know .. about Christmas, I have been wondering how the Aeros got so good at home. They are 22-10-1-3 at home, good for 48 points. Excellent stuff right? But on the road, they are pretty much that crap team that showed up to play in San Antonio two weeks ago. That is not true, they are just two games below .500 at 13-15-0-5. But those five shootout losses mean they have one of the worst road records among those teams that are in the top two in their division.

But they do play a lot better, overall, at Toyota Center even though five of their seven worst losses have come in that building. (Hamilton, San Antonio, Quad City (twice) and Rockford) ... The games in Hershey and Binghamton were the road duds ... but man, again, I am getting way off topic. I just found out why the team is better at home.

The Peoria paper kept mentioning Steve Wagner being out of the lineup because he was sick. When I was walking out of the press box Sunday, I asked a Rivermen player if he was still sick and he said he had a stomach flu or something. Turns out, he wasn't the only one. Then, I read in the Rockford paper today that Antti Niemi was supposed to start the game against the Aeros when the team came back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits. Corey Crawford started that game and lost. Niemi didn't play because he, too, was sick.

Hmmmmmm.

Obviously, I am just kidding, but if you read that Rockford story, it sounds like they are getting a little desperate for wins. Also, read this newer story in the PJStar. Great breakdown by one of my favorite AHL beat writers, Dave Eminian. To quote Eminian, "I still think the Rivermen will need 90 points to be safe. That means they’ll need to win at least six more games, and scrounge a couple other points."

On January 19, I said the Aeros needed at least 88 points to make the playoffs. At that time, I did not think they were going to get there. Needless to say, 90 points IS going to get you in the postseason. I think 89 does too ...

--Aeroscribe

Aeros vs Peoria 3/22 - Game Photos

The game started off with a vicious hit on Tomas Mojzis by Peoria's Ryan Reaves.

It looked clean but it got all of Mojzis and he went down in an ugly manner. Tomas has really been getting pounded since he's returned from injury and this one looked like it hurt.Defensive partner Clayton Stoner thought Reaves took a little too much liberty in hitting Mojzis so he dropped the gloves to teach him a little respect.

Nolan Schaefer made some more big stops on the night.

Corey Locke started off the scoring on the night as he got Manny Legace all twisted up on this one. The crowd seemed to enjoy it.

The was plenty of physical play and I beleive it was Maxim Noreau who knocked out the glass with a big check on a Peoria player. The crew had to go to work and put the glass back in place.

Marco Rosa had an awesome tip in front of Manny Legace to put the Aeros up 2-0.

And he was pretty excited after it went in.

Corey Locke scored to make it 3-1 Aeros and the Rivermen seem to have some kind of problem with the celebration (which was quite mild) and Cam Paddock decided to give Matt Beaudoin a shot. This started a scrum and ended with Beaudoin and Danny Richmond fighting behind the net.

I'll have more photos later this week.
All Photos:Fred Trask

Me and Tony In The Houston Press

In case any of you missed it, and are interested, I've got a story on Tony Hrkac's comeback posted over at the mothership. True, it's basically a rehash of everything we've written over here, with a few new quotes, but...

I get my press pass through the Press, and people clicking on the Press links for the hockey stories shows that there is interest in the city and it's just not a figment of my imagination, which is what my editor sometimes implies.

Aeros v Peoria 3/22 -- Cleaning up the garbage

The guys did a great job covering the game, but I've got a few notes.

First, the airing of grievances. I know I ride Pouliot pretty hard, but that's because I know he can be better than he plays at times, and yesterday was one of those times. Overskating the puck several times, passing to invisible teammates, showing all the hockey sense of a labrador retriever, etc.

He had a breakaway about 3 minutes into the game where he was just free and clear. Nothing but Benny and Manny. Manny's a little fella but he'll stop almost everything you put at him down low. The team had a lot of success going high on him.

So what does Beautiful Benny do? Shoots it right at his leg pad. That shot had all the creativity of a warm-up drill shot. I instantly got a headache.

Also, I gotta say, I love me a good hockey fight, but the one between Beaudoin and Danny Richmond after Locke's 2nd period goal was hard to watch. Not that Beaudoin didn't represent, but it was really a rather vicious one and so startling how it started in the midst of a goal celebration. Definitely felt like an attack on one of our skill guys, but kudos to Matt for giving the business right back. That's the kinda stones the boys are gonna have to show to get through the playoffs. Can't get pushed around.

That's all the grievances. Pretty painless, right? (Benny's shaking his head and giving me the middle finger, no doubt.)

On to the good stuff: First, shout out to Fred for noticing that Kolanos changed to a different stick before the 3-on-5 opportunity on which Locke scored (and Kolanos got the second assist). Uncanny.

Second, the most memorable part of the game for me, was watching back-up goalie Chris Holt watch the shoot out. He's a funny, engaging guy, and was he ever pumped up about the shoot-out. I mean, Manny Freaking Legace is out there for his team. What could go wrong?

Well, Rosa, Locke and Kolanos went wrong and made Manny look silly. Holt was off of his stool, pacing (and very kindly worried about not slicing one of my toes off in my open toed shoes, but rest assured, Chris, I was keenly aware of where your bladed feet were), and living and dying with every shot.

You might think guys get kinda blasé about these things after a while, and some may, but not Holt. He was talking to everyone down in the corner, fans sitting next to the corner. He even lamented on Brusty's behalf the way he got pulled for Schaefer in the shootout during a Peoria game earlier in the season. Remember those days? Wow. Hockey seasons are long, man. And thank goodness for that.

Anyway, that was pretty cool. Never got to watch a pro goalie watch his own team get picked apart in the shoot-out. Locker's crazy second goal had him doubled over in disbelief. One of Schaefer's saves (where he got a toe out JUST in time to deflect the puck away) had him going, "HOW'D HE DO THAT?!" Um, if anybody here knows how he did that, it's you, my friend.

Nice guy.

Here's my parting shot, which I hesitate to share for fear you'll think I'm crazy... but I'm all about full disclosure and I'm a goalie, so I'm allowed to be crazy and you're just supposed to accept it and carry on. Deal?

I got into this habit, as the season has progressed, of walking into the arena to the right of the seam in the sidewalk that takes me from my car to the entrance of the building. (It's not a superstition; it's a routine. Right, boys? Right? Boys? Hello?)

Anyway, last time I walked that way, the Aeros lost. On the way in yesterday, I couldn't decide what to do. So I alternated... left side of the seam. Right side of the seam. Back to the left. Maybe if there was a bad luck and good luck side, I'd spend just enough time on the good luck side to counteract any bad luck.

I'd say the game played out almost exactly like my walk into the building. I still don't know which side is which, though I have my suspicions, but if the guys keep playing like this, I feel safe in experimenting a little. By playoffs, I'll have it figured out.

Aeros vs Peoria 3/22 -- Aeros Overcome Karma, Defeat Peoria 4-3 in Shootout

The Aeros were cruising with the 3-1 lead, and they were easily holding off the Peoria Rivermen as the minutes in the third period clicked ever so slowly away. And if the3836 fans inside of Toyota Center would have access to the stats that I did, they would have felt even more confident in the upcoming Aeros victory than those of us in the press box did. The primary stat being that Peoria, when trailing after two periods, was just 3-25-1-0 on the season.

So what could go wrong?

Well, at 10:43, Peoria’s Trent Whitfield got the puck past Nolan Schaefer to make the score 3-2. But still, there was no reason to worry. And Marco Rosa got the puck in front of the Peoria net at 14:12, only to be robbed by Peoria goalie Manny Legace. Then at 15:10, last night’s hero, Jason Ryznar committed a tripping penalty and was sent to the penalty box, which gave Peoria the perfect power play opportunity. And at 15:37, Yan Stastny got the puck into the net to tie the game at 3-3.

It shouldn’t have come to this.

At 13:56 of the first period, Matt Beaudoin’s shot rebounded off of Legace and the puck came at just the right angle to find the stick of the on-rushing Corey Locke who sent the puck past Legace and into the net for the 1-0 lead. At 3:12 of the second and on the power play, Brandon Rogers fired the puck from high up down to the goal. Marco Rosa, standing close to Legace, got his stick up and deflected the puck into the goal to make it 2-0. After Peoria made it 2-1, the Aeros got the two goal lead back when, at 17:29 of the second, Jesse Schultz flicked the puck from side of the net to another where Corey Locke buried the puck past an out of position Legace.

Yet here the two teams were in overtime, and these stats weren’t in the Aeros favor. Not the Aeros with their 6-9 overtime record matching up against Peoria’s 9-3 overtime record. But Peoria failed to get off any shots in the overtime, and the team’s were headed to the shootout.

Nolan Schaefer shut out the first two Peoria shooters while Marco Rosa and Corey Locke hit theirs. And Krys Kolanos, who looked to be barely moving and appeared to just barely touch the puck on his shot, put the Aeros up 3-1 in the shootout after Nicholas Drazenovic had made a shot for Peoria. But Julian Talbot and Steve Regier got the puck past Schaefer, Jesse Schultz and Matt Beaudoin were shut down.

Both teams missed their sixth shot, then Regier hit his shot, leaving it to Corey Locke. If Locke were to miss, the game was over. But Locke didn’t miss; instead, he made one of the most spectacular shots of the season as he appeared to be falling away from the net and at impossible angle. Yet the puck got past Legace.

“I did one move the first time, so I had to mix it up,” Locke said. “I just wanted to come in on an angle…I knew he goes down, and I just had to get it upstairs. I went a little farther than I wanted, but luckily I found a corner there.”

And when Carl Corazzini missed his shot, it was all up to Krys Kolanos, who once again just hit this easy-going stride that just seemed to freeze Legace. “I feel that I’ve got to mix up my speeds and vary it,” Kolanos said. “It was different speeds, and different angles. You’ve got to keep them guessing.” Kolanos got the goal, and just like that, the Aeros had pulled victory from the jaws of defeat from a game that had been almost a sure victory.

“We got two points, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Locke said. And with 11 games left in the season, the Aeros will take the two points no matter how they get it.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES:

With the win, the Aeros gained a point in the standings on Peoria, and two points on everybody else chasing them in the playoff standings. The Aeros are in second place at 35-25-1-8 (79 points). Peoria sits in third place at 36-31-2-2 (76) points. Rockford is in fourth, by percentage points, with a record of 34-29-0-6 (74 points), and Chicago is in fifth at 35-32-2-2 (74 points). Iowa is in sixth at 30-27-4-8 (72 points), and Quad City is just barely hanging in at 28-30-6-6 (68 points).

The Aeros have a difficult week this week as they play the division leading Milwaukee Admirals in Milwaukee on Wednesday, then play Rockford in Houston on Friday, Peoria in Peoria on Saturday, and Rockford in Rockford on Sunday.

As for this weekend just ended, Kevin Constantine said “We’ll take our two and count our blessings. We needed to get points at home. We’ve got to take care of that part.”

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The Aeros are now 4-1-0-1 against Peoria this season, with two games remaining against them this season. Both teams have scored 188 goals this season, and both teams have surrendered 195 goals.

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Corey Locke’s two regulation goals gave him a nine game point streak (4-7=11) which is the team high for the Aeros this season, and a career high for Locke. Locke is now also just one point shy of 300 points for his career (he has now played in 380 professional games).

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Mitch Love and Barry Brust were the only injured Aeros scratched from the game. Dean Crowley, Morten Madsen, and Bryan Lundbohm are healthy.

Tony Hrkac played in his second game since returning to hockey and signing with the Aeros. “Yesterday was tougher,” he said. “Today felt a little better. It will take a little while to get adjusted to the speed again.”

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The Aeros have twice come from behind to get the victory against Peoria this season, and they came from behind to force another game into the shootout, so it was perhaps an instance of karma that Peoria came from behind in the third period against Houston to get this game to the shootout.

And that gives me an opportunity to play the video of one of my favorite songs. So here's John Lennon with "Instant Karma."

Aeros vs Peoria 3/22 - Corey Locke SO Goal

Ok, this one deserves a post of its own. This was one of the sickest goals I've ever seen in the shoot out. I didn't think Locke was going to get this one off, let alone score.

Manny Legace really stretched this one out but it wasn't enough as Locke was able to out wait him and buried it top shelf.

View from the Press Box - 3/22 vs. Peoria

The Aeros did just about everything they could do to give this one to a Rivermen team playing its fourth game in five nights. Two goal lead in regulation good enough? Nah, give it up. TWO two-goal leads in the shootout good enough? Nope ... let's toy with them further, eh?

Look, a win is a win is a win, but the bottom line is this team did not play a good third period. Sure they had their chances and sure enough, Marco Rosa missed another wide open goal. But to his credit, he said one of the factors that prevented him from lifting that puck into an open cage was the snowy ice in where he had the puck. I am OK with that ... after all it was still 3-1 at the time. (And Marco, your 2-0 goal tonight, was a beaut.)

Locke's shootout goal, my God if you don't watch this replay on AHL Live, you're crazy. It was stunning, and it didn't even happen really the way he planned. Locke said he went further out than he wanted to, but it was sweet. That was the turning point in a shootout that featured a lot of snipers and three different goalie slumps.

The Aeros have 11 games left, and only four of them are at home. Playoff chances still look very good, and the Aeros need to start cheering for the Iowa Chops to steal a game Tuesday night when the Rivermen visit.

Three stars tonight were Locke, Stastny and Rosa. These are turned in before overtime, so I am OK with that. If you throw in the extra sessions, then you gotta make Kolanos No. 2 and push Stastny down to three ...

Bottom line is the Aeros picked up two huge points in a schedule that just got a whole lot tougher. Seven of 11 on the road ... If the team goes 6-5 the rest of the way, I really like their chances of getting the two or three seed for the postseason.

It will be interesting either way.

--Aeroscribe