gusman
02-25-2010, 09:07 AM
By Matt Sekeres, The Globe and Mail
An International Ice Hockey Federation rule designed to protect players' heads cost the Czech Republic an Olympic quarterfinal game against Finland on Wednesday.
The Finns prevailed 2-0 and are bound for a semifinal matchup against the United States on Friday, but even the winners were criticizing a well-intentioned safety rule regarding players who lose their helmets.
To North American eyes, Czech defenceman Pavel Kubina appeared to have committed an Olympic-sized gaffe when he abandoned Finnish forward Niklas Hagman in front of the net and went to retrieve his lost helmet during a Finland power play in the third period.
In fact, Kubina was cognizant that he was risking a penalty - and a two-man disadvantage - by playing sans helmet, although simply putting the helmet back on his head is also against the rules.
"It's a really stupid rule," Kubina said.
He wasn't alone.
"It was good for us that he lost his helmet, but it's a stupid rule," said Hagman, who scored the game-winner with less than seven minutes remaining. "I know they want to keep it safe. [But] you lose a helmet; you should let the guy play."
An IIHF spokeswoman in the media mix zone immediately noted that Slovak forward Lubos Bartecko could have been spared from injury had his helmet been affixed with its chin-strap fastened, as international rules mandate.
Bartecko suffered a concussion and a head laceration when he was checked in the head by Norway's Ole Kristian Tollefsen on Tuesday. The back of the Slovak's head slammed against the ice after his helmet flew off.
On Thursday, Kubina made a sensational, sprawling defensive play to prevent a Finnish scoring chance, but lost his helmet in the process. By international rule, he should have sped immediately to the bench because - technically speaking - trying to retrieve the helmet from behind the net should have been a penalty.
"A player on the ice whose helmet comes off and continues to play without a helmet without going directly to the bench will get a minor penalty," reads the IIHF media guide.
Under NHL rules, a player who loses his helmet is allowed to continue playing for the remainder of his shift. The NHL has been criticized for dragging its feet on player safety, particularly head injuries, but on this specific rule, it also boasts a gladiator culture that its players seem to prefer.
Ironically, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was in attendance at UBC Thunderbird Arena, and seated in the end where Hagman's goal was scored.
"We play in the NHL, so you don't remember [the IIHF rule] and the team is so focused and so into the game that it's almost impossible to remember that," said Finnish forward Teemu Selanne, who plays for the NHL's Anaheim Ducks. "On the safety issue, I think it's a good rule. Hockey-wise, it's a bad rule, especially in the NHL.
"That would be a target. Guys would do that on purpose. In front of the net, in those little battles there, you'd just knock the guy's helmet off," Selanne added. "It could be five-on-four, five-on-three, even five-on-two. So, I would stick with the NHL rule. That's a tough break for [Kubina], and for us NHL players, it's wrong that that happened."
Czech coach Vladimir Ruzicka, who played five NHL seasons, refused to share his opinion when asked about the IIHF helmet rule. Asked if it cost his team the game, Ruzicka said: "[Kubina] was forced to abandon his position in front of the net, which resulted in the goal being scored...He had no choice."
The sequence took place with Martin Erat in the penalty box for delay-of-game, and the puck on the stick of Janne Niskala on the point.
Niskala's shot towards the goal was tipped gently by Hagman, stationed alone in front of Czech goaltender Tomas Vokoun. Moments later, Valtteri Filppula added an empty-netter in this battle of goaltenders.
"It was obvious, in the third period, that who scored first will win the game," Ruzicka said.
Vokoun made 30 saves, while Miikka Kiprusoff did him one better for the shutout.
But Kiprusoff was lucky in the third period. Czech forward Jaromir Jagr had the puck near the net, with Kiprusoff down-and-out, but fanned on his shot.
"I got a little chill," Selanne said. "You give him five chances like that; he's going to bury four. You can see that he is hurt."
Ruzicka would not confirm that Jagr was injured, though he played less than 12 minutes. Some of that was because Finland had five first-period power plays and Jagr, playing perhaps his final international game, does not kill penalties.
Finland is guaranteed of playing for a medal for the second straight Olympics. The Finns reached the gold-medal game in Turin four years ago, before losing to arch-rival Sweden and settling for silver.
An International Ice Hockey Federation rule designed to protect players' heads cost the Czech Republic an Olympic quarterfinal game against Finland on Wednesday.
The Finns prevailed 2-0 and are bound for a semifinal matchup against the United States on Friday, but even the winners were criticizing a well-intentioned safety rule regarding players who lose their helmets.
To North American eyes, Czech defenceman Pavel Kubina appeared to have committed an Olympic-sized gaffe when he abandoned Finnish forward Niklas Hagman in front of the net and went to retrieve his lost helmet during a Finland power play in the third period.
In fact, Kubina was cognizant that he was risking a penalty - and a two-man disadvantage - by playing sans helmet, although simply putting the helmet back on his head is also against the rules.
"It's a really stupid rule," Kubina said.
He wasn't alone.
"It was good for us that he lost his helmet, but it's a stupid rule," said Hagman, who scored the game-winner with less than seven minutes remaining. "I know they want to keep it safe. [But] you lose a helmet; you should let the guy play."
An IIHF spokeswoman in the media mix zone immediately noted that Slovak forward Lubos Bartecko could have been spared from injury had his helmet been affixed with its chin-strap fastened, as international rules mandate.
Bartecko suffered a concussion and a head laceration when he was checked in the head by Norway's Ole Kristian Tollefsen on Tuesday. The back of the Slovak's head slammed against the ice after his helmet flew off.
On Thursday, Kubina made a sensational, sprawling defensive play to prevent a Finnish scoring chance, but lost his helmet in the process. By international rule, he should have sped immediately to the bench because - technically speaking - trying to retrieve the helmet from behind the net should have been a penalty.
"A player on the ice whose helmet comes off and continues to play without a helmet without going directly to the bench will get a minor penalty," reads the IIHF media guide.
Under NHL rules, a player who loses his helmet is allowed to continue playing for the remainder of his shift. The NHL has been criticized for dragging its feet on player safety, particularly head injuries, but on this specific rule, it also boasts a gladiator culture that its players seem to prefer.
Ironically, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was in attendance at UBC Thunderbird Arena, and seated in the end where Hagman's goal was scored.
"We play in the NHL, so you don't remember [the IIHF rule] and the team is so focused and so into the game that it's almost impossible to remember that," said Finnish forward Teemu Selanne, who plays for the NHL's Anaheim Ducks. "On the safety issue, I think it's a good rule. Hockey-wise, it's a bad rule, especially in the NHL.
"That would be a target. Guys would do that on purpose. In front of the net, in those little battles there, you'd just knock the guy's helmet off," Selanne added. "It could be five-on-four, five-on-three, even five-on-two. So, I would stick with the NHL rule. That's a tough break for [Kubina], and for us NHL players, it's wrong that that happened."
Czech coach Vladimir Ruzicka, who played five NHL seasons, refused to share his opinion when asked about the IIHF helmet rule. Asked if it cost his team the game, Ruzicka said: "[Kubina] was forced to abandon his position in front of the net, which resulted in the goal being scored...He had no choice."
The sequence took place with Martin Erat in the penalty box for delay-of-game, and the puck on the stick of Janne Niskala on the point.
Niskala's shot towards the goal was tipped gently by Hagman, stationed alone in front of Czech goaltender Tomas Vokoun. Moments later, Valtteri Filppula added an empty-netter in this battle of goaltenders.
"It was obvious, in the third period, that who scored first will win the game," Ruzicka said.
Vokoun made 30 saves, while Miikka Kiprusoff did him one better for the shutout.
But Kiprusoff was lucky in the third period. Czech forward Jaromir Jagr had the puck near the net, with Kiprusoff down-and-out, but fanned on his shot.
"I got a little chill," Selanne said. "You give him five chances like that; he's going to bury four. You can see that he is hurt."
Ruzicka would not confirm that Jagr was injured, though he played less than 12 minutes. Some of that was because Finland had five first-period power plays and Jagr, playing perhaps his final international game, does not kill penalties.
Finland is guaranteed of playing for a medal for the second straight Olympics. The Finns reached the gold-medal game in Turin four years ago, before losing to arch-rival Sweden and settling for silver.