Sidney Crosby’s known for his stick skills. Normally, those are limited to shooting and passing pucks. Sid’s apparently also adept at moving sticks.
Watch as Patric Hornqvist loses his stick, then gets an assist from Crosby in getting it back:
As impressive as this play was, there’s one problem. It’s not legal.
According to Rule 10.3:
A player who has lost or broken his stick may receive a replacement stick by having one handed to him from his own players’ bench; by having one handed to him by a teammate on the ice; or, by picking up his own unbroken stick or that of a teammate’s from the ice.
A player will be penalized if he throws, tosses, slides or shoots a stick to a teammate on the ice, or if he picks up and plays with an opponent’s stick. A player may not participate in the play using a goalkeeper’s stick. A minor penalty shall be imposed for an infraction of this rule.
Clearly, Crosby was in violation.
While it may seem like a minor infraction, flying sticks can be dangerous on the ice for both players and officials. With skaters already watching for pucks and bodies, an unexpected stick in the air can do some serious damage. While Crosby made a terrific stick return, other players attempting the same move – were it legal – would likely not see that kind of success. Ask Patric Hornqvist if he’d be as open to having Nick Bonino try the same move.
Referees for the game were Frederick L’Ecuyer and Chris Rooney, with linesmen Mark Wheler and Don Henderson.
