I think people are being very simplistic in saying just hammer the guy. The reality is Armstrong will take a two for interference plus a five minute fighting major and in that specific incident Louis would take a two plus 5 plus 10 so they would sit coincidentals with Louis losing 17mins and disrupting the d pairings with all the fatigue that causes. No one would be in the wrong not even the ref but where is the deterrent from doing it let alone doing it in the same game.
This is where I despair at what the instigator penalty is trying to do. If that penalty was dropped then the refs can call the common sense calls that is Armstrong gets an initial two for the interference plus a five minute major and Louis gets a straight up five for giving Armstrong a good slapping. Armstrong will get a beating and put his team shorthanded. It's a real terms deterrent in both not wanting to eat a punch and you'll hurt your team. It allows the players to respond to cheap plays and deter from it happening again and also affects the opposition in a coaching perspective that will deter from coaches advocating goalie contact. That rule was allegedly done for safety but it has caused more problems than ever before along with the increase in the offensive zone dimensions adding to a higher emphasis on special team powerplay time that players now second guess their response to these incidents and cheap idiots like Armstrong can flourish in this new safe environment. The sooner that rule gets removed the better and players can once again police their own game and if players don't want to play within the code of respect for fellow players they can once again start to feel the consequences of that disrespect on the end of a shot to the hooter.
Believe me I am a firm believer in zero contact with the goalie and have thrown enough shots at people crashing the net but can fully understand and sympathise with pro's like Louis, Bordy etc for the situation that bloody rule puts them in. I take no issue with them. I take issue with the rule makers and their deliberate efforts to avoid dealing with a growing situation that is most definitely of their making.
This is where I despair at what the instigator penalty is trying to do. If that penalty was dropped then the refs can call the common sense calls that is Armstrong gets an initial two for the interference plus a five minute major and Louis gets a straight up five for giving Armstrong a good slapping. Armstrong will get a beating and put his team shorthanded. It's a real terms deterrent in both not wanting to eat a punch and you'll hurt your team. It allows the players to respond to cheap plays and deter from it happening again and also affects the opposition in a coaching perspective that will deter from coaches advocating goalie contact. That rule was allegedly done for safety but it has caused more problems than ever before along with the increase in the offensive zone dimensions adding to a higher emphasis on special team powerplay time that players now second guess their response to these incidents and cheap idiots like Armstrong can flourish in this new safe environment. The sooner that rule gets removed the better and players can once again police their own game and if players don't want to play within the code of respect for fellow players they can once again start to feel the consequences of that disrespect on the end of a shot to the hooter.
Believe me I am a firm believer in zero contact with the goalie and have thrown enough shots at people crashing the net but can fully understand and sympathise with pro's like Louis, Bordy etc for the situation that bloody rule puts them in. I take no issue with them. I take issue with the rule makers and their deliberate efforts to avoid dealing with a growing situation that is most definitely of their making.
