The NHL rulebook: don’t leave home without it.
When an NHL goaltender throws a blocker punch, the league is supposed to throw the book at him. That was what one New Jersey Devils fan hoped to convey at Friday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.
In the last meeting between the two teams, Habs goalie Carey Price reacted to Kyle Palmieri crashing into him by throwing several punches with his blocker on and then a few more without. Price was assessed two two-minute minors on the play when the rulebook says that a goalie who throws a blocker punch can be given an intent-to-injure penalty: a game misconduct.
Friday, one fan felt the need to remind Price of that fact.
Says the sign: “You better learn it [the rulebook], Carey!”
Price said of the Palmieri incident at the time: “I got fired up, I guess.”
“It seems to be the nature of the league,” said Price in December. “Go to the net, run the goalie over and score a goal.”
The Canadiens goalie knows all about net crashing. Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers knocked him out of the 2014 post-season with a collision in the crease.
The chance of Price seeing the sign seems better than normal on Friday, as he occupies a spot on the bench with Al Montoya manning the crease.
