Was Penguins’ Crosby Let Out Of The Penalty Box Early?
The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins filled the penalty box in Game 3, but it was the man who was out first who surprised fans.
The chaos began 5:35 in the third period of Thursday night's game. A play on the Pittsburgh net - which included some setbacks on Isles forward Kyle Palmieri's goalkeeper Tristan Jerry - led to a scandal that sent all ten skaters on the ice to the penalty box. The Islanders lost Palmieri, Pageau, Mayfield, Wahlstrom and Lady. Pittsburgh beheaded Crosby, Guentzel, Rust, Letang and Dumoulin. It took Gwentzel an extra two minutes to push Palmeri into the box way, giving the Islanders a power play.
When multiple penalties are assessed for both teams, the same number of small and large penalties will be eliminated using the coincidence penalty rule and any differences in time penalties will be served in a normal way and accordingly the penalty time clock. (19.5). If there is no difference in the time penalty, all players will serve their allotted penalty time, but will not be released until the first stop of the game after the expiry of their respective penalties.
Here’s Rule 16.2:
When the minor penalty of two players from the same team expires at the same time, the captain of that team will nominate the referee as to which of these players will return to the ice first and the referee will instruct the penalty timekeeper accordingly.
This is supported by the NHL rulebook's long table on scenarios involving goals scored on a shorthand team.
Captain's choice. Minor penalties on Team B can be canceled with any of the minor penalties set for players on Team A.
Determination should be made at the time the penalty is assessed.
Pittsburgh's Jason Zucker led off for an extra two minutes of serve, only to be sent back to the bench. Crosby could serve Zucker an extra minor for Guentzel, who would see Zucker's return when he scored a goal, and would guarantee Guentzel's release after two minutes. He could call that Letang goes on the clock, scoring to be out of New York.
Crosby calls that his penalty will be on the clock as the only noncompetitive call. That decision also meant that Gentzel's penalty would keep him in the box for at least four minutes. With no loss of manpower on the ice, he will stay there until the next stop after his four penalty minutes are over.
This is exactly what happened. With the penalty box filled, the Islanders took full advantage of their chance. New York scored in the power play just 19 seconds later to tie the game at 3-3.
The Islanders scored a goal. Sydney Crosby missed the penalty box. Gwentzel stayed. As the captain called it.
The referees for the game were Kelly Sutherland (# 11) and Garrett Rank (# 7). The linemen were Johnny Murray (# 95) and Bevan Mills (# 53).