Wray Morrison: NHL’s icing rule doesn’t work

Dear NHL:

Please fix this hybrid-icing rule.

The hybrid-icing system allows the linesman to blow the play dead and call an automatic icing if the defending player is going to win a race to the puck behind his team’s goal line.

Last night, Colorado scored on San Jose in the second period on a controversial goal. Mikko Rantanen of the Avalanche and the Sharks’ Marc-Edouard Vlasic raced for an iced puck in the San Jose end. Vlasic believed he won the race after the puck crossed the goal line. Play wasn’t whistled down. Rantanen centred the puck and the Avalanche scored.

After the game, Vlasic sarcastically suggested that he wouldn’t comment on the play and simply wait for an apology from the NHL.

There wasn’t any confusion when the defending player had to not just win the race, but touch the puck. I understand the rule was changed to prevent high-speed collisions into the end boards. However, this isn’t working. Such confusion is leading to goals being scored that shouldn’t count.

This needs to be fixed in the off-season.