Instigator rule leaves loophole, some say

The rule that hands out 17 minutes in penalties for players who start fights was supposed to curtail brawling.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published December 18, 2006

Aaron Downey concedes that if the instigator rule was rescinded, there would be more fighting, but there would be more respect among players.

"If we could police ourselves, you'd see hard, physical hockey," the Canadiens tough guys said. "You wouldn't see any crap."

The rule that hands out 17 minutes in penalties for players who start fights was supposed to curtail brawling. What it has done, some say, is give players opportunities to take cheap shots and escape retribution.

"You have these little rats that run around and yap," Lightning tough guy Andre Roy said. "And then you go after them and they're like, 'What are you going to do?' They're in your face. It's tough to deal with."

As are the players who take runs at a team's stars.

Roy said he did not go after Atlanta's Vitaly Vishnevski after he put a late hit on Tampa Bay's Ryan Craig, in part, because, "I knew he wouldn't fight me, and that instigator rule will cost you."

Sometimes, though, there is no choice.

"It's still understood that if you go out there and take a run at another team's player, you're going to pay for it," Montreal's Mike Komisarek said. "It's always been a good way to police one another."

[Last modified December 18, 2006, 07:01:56]