Ty Anderson: Undisputed worst rule in hockey strikes again!

And before this starts, I just want to say the following...

- I don't think this is why the Lightning lost this game. They were real bad for long stretches in this game. They didn't start playing 'til they were down by three.

- I have no problem with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

- Phil Kessel is an American treasure and my life goals include competing against him in a 24-hour, no sleep allowed Diet Coke drinking contest.

- This rule still stinks.

You can argue all day long that the rule stinks, but that doesn't change the fact that the play was offside. Offside is rule, the Bolts were offside and that's that, so again, you argue that being able to challenge the play stinks, but the Bolts were offside. You can't be mad unless you want the NHL to change the offside rule.

I think the rule is good, not because I'm a Pens fan, but because the game is so fast that refs miss countless offside calls in every game. This just helps uphold the rule.

I actually would love the NHL to somehow expand the rule WITHIN REASON to allow teams to challenge improper calls. Again, this game is so fast that refs either miss or make improper calls and that shouldn't stop the league from imposing teams to be able to challenge unfair calls.

Penalties and offside are not subjective.

You can argue all day long that the rule stinks, but that doesn't change the fact that the play was offside. Offside is rule, the Bolts were offside and that's that, so again, you argue that being able to challenge the play stinks, but the Bolts were offside. You can't be mad unless you want the NHL to change the offside rule.

I think the rule is good, not because I'm a Pens fan, but because the game is so fast that refs miss countless offside calls in every game. This just helps uphold the rule.

I actually would love the NHL to somehow expand the rule WITHIN REASON to allow teams to challenge improper calls. Again, this game is so fast that refs either miss or make improper calls and that shouldn't stop the league from imposing teams to be able to challenge unfair calls.

Penalties and offside are not subjective

- Rinosaour

I guess you are the type of person who in an argument, jump on a person who uses incorrect gramar. Its a "rule" and the other party made a mistake, but does it really effect the argument?

We had a goal against us challenged and overruled on a similar situation against the Wings and I said the same thing then: The offside rule is there for a very good reason, but the reason is not that an quarter of an inch of a players skate effects the game.

I hate the coaches challenge. I think it needs to be taken out completely. It lowers the scores of already low scoring hockey. However, the delay of game rule is necessary and keeps the pace of the game moving forward.

That was the definition of a reviewable offside... but not the spirit of the game. Yes, the replay showed it was offside but I really dont think that is something that should be considered as such. I think there will be changes in the offseason to how offsides are viewed and reviewed. But for now, just happy it worked out in the Pens favor.

It's a black and white rule. It is what it is. There needs to be more emphasis on keeping skates down in training camp on the blue line. I don't know how it helps to introduce more gray area into the game

I guess you are the type of person who in an argument, jumps on a person who uses incorrect grammar. It's a "rule" and the other party made a mistake, but does it really affect the argument?

We had a goal against us challenged and overruled on a similar situation against the Wings and I said the same thing then: The offside rule is there for a very good reason, but the reason is not that a quarter of an inch of a players skate affects the game.
- Cloud

Separating whether Tampa would of won or not is besides the point, but the call was correct and the rule is stupid.

So according to the rule you must have the back leg planted on the ice to be on sides. If his back leg was in contact with the ice it would of been an allowed goal. What I can't get over is a player can skate backwards over the line and be on sides as long as they have control of the puck, but 1 leg over the line and the other in the air is offsides

Ty Anderson: Undisputed worst rule in hockey strikes again!
- Ty Anderson2

I think this is the rule because its the least amount of gray area possible. What else could it be? If a piece of you is still over the blue line but not on the ice? Does fhe stick count? Shoulder?

If this was it then you would have much more gray areas than they have currently.

I think this is the rule because its the least amount of gray area possible. What else could it be? If a piece of you is still over the blue line but not on the ice? Does fhe stick count? Shoulder?

If this was it then you would have much more gray areas than they have currently.
- kgrpitt

What if you are straddling the line and an opposing player makes contact, the leg comes up, is it offsides? That happens quite often and have never seen it called. Personally if I was defending I would lift other players back skates to draw offsides then.

My prediction: A hybrid offsides will be tested in the AHL and brought into the NHL the next year.

I think this is the rule because its the least amount of gray area possible. What else could it be? If a piece of you is still over the blue line but not on the ice? Does fhe stick count? Shoulder?

If this was it then you would have much more gray areas than they have currently.
- kgrpitt

Both skates over the line? I don't think it is that hard to come up with a competing definition. The issue I see, is that it will likely cause a very similar problem - there will be some other nuanced black-and-white issue people will get mad about.

They should just change the rule that the puck has the cross before the body, regardless of possession of the puck.

However I'd also like to see a penalty in place for a failed challenge, maybe a 2 minute delay of game penalty?

They should just change the rule that the puck has the cross before the body, regardless of possession of the puck.

However I'd also like to see a penalty in place for a failed challenge, maybe a 2 minute delay of game penalty?
- Danformo

I like that better than a timeout lost. I know they mentioned that during the game, but it fits.

Determining where a player is on the ice relative to the puck and the blue line is the intent of off-sides, not whether or not his skate is touching the surface. It makes no sense. Either you're behind the front edge of the blue line and on-side or you're not regardless of whether or not your skate is in the air.

And before this starts, I just want to say the following...

- I don't think this is why the Lightning lost this game. They were real bad for long stretches in this game. They didn't start playing 'til they were down by three.

- I have no problem with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

- Phil Kessel is an American treasure and my life goals include competing against him in a 24-hour, no sleep allowed Diet Coke drinking contest.

- This rule still stinks.
- tyanderson

Well, this is nice, but your deal made it sound like it was the reason. It was baby-like. It was offside and it doesn't matter by how much. Pittsburgh has lost a few games before under the same circumstances. We are still waiting for Daniel Briere to be called offsides in game 1 the last time we met in the play-offs, us and Philly. If instant replay or a coaches challenge was in play, that series turns on that call. It was a no goal because he was offside.

Delay of game ... it was. It's in the rule book and has been. I don't know if you watched the Pens have to kill off three-straight DOG penalties in the Caps series. It's a penalty.

There is nothing wrong with the rule. You want things to be called right. It was offside regardless. Funny thing, you would be female doging up a storm if you benefitted from it and someone else wrote the comments you did about stupid rule.

Well, this is nice, but your deal made it sound like it was the reason. It was baby-like. It was offside and it doesn't matter by how much. Pittsburgh has lost a few games before under the same circumstances. We are still waiting for Daniel Briere to be called offsides in game 1 the last time we met in the play-offs, us and Philly. If instant replay or a coaches challenge was in play, that series turns on that call. It was a no goal because he was offside.

Delay of game ... it was. It's in the rule book and has been. I don't know if you watched the Pens have to kill off three-straight DOG penalties in the Caps series. It's a penalty.
- Oneonta Penguin

So basically the whole point of the blog went over your head?

Whether it was game 14 of the regular season or Game 7 of the finals, the rule was called correct, but still stupid.

Maybe instead of focusing on a correct call, no matter how dumb the rule is, you should focus on how flat Tampa Bay was this game until the third. It's not like you guys were playing well before the disallowed goal and then the momentum got zapped.

So basically the whole point of the blog went over your head?

Whether it was game 14 of the regular season or Game 7 of the finals, the rule was called correct, but still stupid.
- Glak18

Not surprising.

Maybe instead of focusing on a correct call, no matter how dumb the rule is, you should focus on how flat Tampa Bay was this game until the third. It's not like you guys were playing well before the disallowed goal and then the momentum got zapped.
- Victoro311

Flat or not, that 1st goal would have been huge. No denying it.

I can't believe so many people have issue with the most simple, black and white rule in the game. It only proves that fans will always find something to complain about...

Well, this is nice, but your deal made it sound like it was the reason. It was baby-like. It was offside and it doesn't matter by how much. Pittsburgh has lost a few games before under the same circumstances. We are still waiting for Daniel Briere to be called offsides in game 1 the last time we met in the play-offs, us and Philly. If instant replay or a coaches challenge was in play, that series turns on that call. It was a no goal because he was offside.

Delay of game ... it was. It's in the rule book and has been. I don't know if you watched the Pens have to kill off three-straight DOG penalties in the Caps series. It's a penalty.

There is nothing wrong with the rule. You want things to be called right. It was offside regardless. Funny thing, you would be female doging up a storm if you benefitted from it and someone else wrote the comments you did about stupid rule.
- Oneonta Penguin

You rationalize the call by saying it truely is offside.

You point out it has happened to Pens.

You female dog about a ruling with a complete different team that happened years ago.

You think its funny that the the blogger would female dog a storm if it was the other way around.

...but the hole blog is about the ruling itself being a complete failed experience from the nhl. Good job.

Flat or not, that 1st goal would have been huge. No denying it.
- wolfhounds

That's true, but I just don't like the look of scape goating one particular thing after your team loses, and putting a disclaimer at the end of the blog doesn't redeem it. It comes off as whiney and childish, especially when the rule applies to all teams. Every team has been burned by the review at this point. It's like Penguins' fans over at our blog who like to chirp about the refs when we lose. Everyone knows that the refs suck equally for everyone and will call the score, not the game. It's nothing new. At this point offsides review is nothing new and the disallowed goal is on him for not knowing better.

I wouldn't have minded if this situation got a shout out on a blog about the game, but a whole blog dedicated to it? It's a bad look.

easy fix....offsides are not reviewable. problem solved.

they played 100 years without it being reviewable with almost no issues......it was a dumb thing to institute in the first place and hopefully they'll take care of it this offseason.

Offsides needs to be left up to the linesman and that's all, he misses it he misses it. We shouldn't have a play go on for however long, I know this wasn't too long on this particular goal, and then a challenge comes just because you got scored on. You probably got scored on because your Team made a bad play or missed a coverage.