Enforcers may not be the most skilled players on the ice, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be clever when it comes to skirting the rules.
Among a rash of rule changes passed for the upcoming season, the NHL is continuing to crack down on fighting. Starting with the 2013-14 season, any player who removes his helmet before a fight will be assessed an additional two-minute minor penalty. The league hopes that this will cut down on staged fights, like the line brawl to start the game between the Devils and Rangers last season.
It didn’t take long for someone to discover a way around the new rule, though. In Thursday’s Devils-Islanders preseason game, Krys Barch and Brett Gallant purposely removed each other’s helmet before a punch was thrown. Once their buckets were on the ice, the fists started flying. Â It must have worked, too — no additional penalties were assessed to the fighters for their unique interpretation of the new rule.
If Sean Avery‘s antics in the 2008 playoffs are any indication, expect this loophole to be closed before the regular season starts. In the meantime, check out the hilarious video below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CONJgZjVOh8&w=560&h=315 align=center]
