Austin Watson fires a slapshot at Jeremy Lauzon at the end of the game

[Gregor Samsa]

Whether it was intentional or not is anyone’s guess but he certainly won’t be suspended. That would be a crazy precedent to set as far as when and where you can shoot the puck

 

[cc]

It could have been intentional but because it was headed towards the direction of the net, it can easily be argued that he was trying to score to salvage some measure of victory in an otherwise terrible game.

Until the buzzer sounds, players are allowed to keep shooting at the net from anywhere

 

[Spargon]

Fine amounts are negotiated by the NHLPA

Players can be fined up to 50% of one day's salary, up to a maximum of $10,000.00 for their first offense, and $15,000.00 for any subsequent offenses (the player had been fined in the 12 months before this fine).[1] Coaches, non-playing personnel, and teams are not restricted to such maximums, though they can still be treated as repeat offenders.

Which is why they always disclaimer every fine with "the maximum allowed by the CBA"

 

[pizza line]

haha a fine this league is a joke

 

[AndreRoy]

- 1 second left…

So the game is still being played.

…in a 5-1 game

The score is irrelevant. If you think a team shouldn’t be allowed to shoot the puck simply because they’re losing by a lot then what you’re really arguing for is ending the game early; insisting that the game should be played to the end but that the losing team shouldn’t be allowed to attempt to score is just absurd.

- Slapshot clear as day in the direction of the net

Fixed for accuracy. Lauzon positioned himself between the puck and the net; there is absolutely zero reason to believe that he was the target of the shot attempt.

- Player who did this is... *checks notes*... Austin Watson

The player shooting the puck is irrelevant.

Buddy, let me tell you one thing. I'm glad you aren't my teammate.

The feeling is mutual.

Would you have no reaction if your teammate got green lighted with 1 second left on the clock in a game that's out of reach too?

If it’s a legal hit then no, I wouldn’t. Again, if you don’t want players to play the game to the end then end the game early; if not then players need to be prepared to play until the final horn sounds. Part of that is the responsibility to protect themselves from the expected risks of hockey play, which includes shot attempts and legal hits.

 

[AndreRoy]

if it was a 1 goal game then i see that shot . but at 4-0 its either real dumb or real evil , but either or it costs lauzon and thats all that matters

So at precisely what point in terms of score and time remaining should the losing team not be allowed to shoot anymore? Where do you draw the line? And if the losing team should not be allowed to shoot the puck at some point, why are we still playing the game?

 

[Sheppy]

So the game is still being played.




The score is irrelevant. If you think a team shouldn’t be allowed to shoot the puck simply because they’re losing by a lot then what you’re really arguing for is ending the game early; insisting that the game should be played to the end but that the losing team shouldn’t be allowed to attempt to score is just absurd.




Fixed for accuracy. Lauzon positioned himself between the puck and the net; there is absolutely zero reason to believe that he was the target of the shot attempt.




The player shooting the puck is irrelevant.




The feeling is mutual.




If it’s a legal hit then no, I wouldn’t. Again, if you don’t want players to play the game to the end then end the game early; if not then players need to be prepared to play until the final horn sounds. Part of that is the responsibility to protect themselves from the expected risks of hockey play, which includes shot attempts and legal hits.

Hahahahaha.

 

[Unbiased Fan]

As a goalie I remember playing peewee AAA we were up a few goals and there was like 3 seconds left and I turned around to grab my water bottle and the other team took a slap shot and scored.

Goals have been scored cross ice at the NHL level aswell.

Good hockey play imo.

 

[rynryn]

dude just got in the way. i crank the puck at the net as time is expiring more often than I don't if I happen to have the puck. Never know.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

"It wasn't on purpose"

Look how much time he has. He's looking right at Watson, lol.

Some people just refuse to believe that a hockey player did something malicious with their equipment, no matter how obvious the action happened to be.

 

[Coffey]

dude just got in the way. i crank the puck at the net as time is expiring more often than I don't if I happen to have the puck. Never know.

Never know what?

 

[AndreRoy]

Another point nobody’s mentioned is that goal differential and the number of goals scored are part of the NHL’s tiebreaking procedure for determine playoff spots. So even if a last-second goal wouldn’t change the outcome of a game, it could still theoretically come into play in that scenario.

This means that not only do NHL rules explicitly allow for shooting the puck while the game is being played, and in no place discourage doing so regardless of how many goals one’s team is down or how little time remains, but they actually explicitly encourage such last second shots even when the outcome of the game would not be impacted. Watson not only did nothing wrong, he did what the rules of the NHL encourage him to do.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

The question is why is Lauzon blocking shots from center ice with a multi-goal lead with 1 second left in the game? That reeks of unsportsmanlike conduct

 

[Cursed Lemon]

gUyS iT's OkAy tO bE cOmPLeTeLy rEcKLeSs iF yOu'Re JuSt "bLoWiNg oFf sTeAm"

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

And the Preds can do nothing about it, except in the lottery-winning circumstance that they meet TBL in the Cup Final.

Watson is a stupid enough player to have done that on purpose, and an unskilled enough player to surprise you when he hits his intended target.

 

[Guttersniped]

Another point nobody’s mentioned is that goal differential and the number of goals scored are part of the NHL’s tiebreaking procedure for determine playoff spots. So even if a last-second goal wouldn’t change the outcome of a game, it could still theoretically come into play in that scenario.

This means that not only do NHL rules explicitly allow for shooting the puck while the game is being played, and in no place discourage doing so regardless of how many goals one’s team is down or how little time remains, but they actually explicitly encourage such last second shots even when the outcome of the game would not be impacted. Watson not only did nothing wrong, he did what the rules of the NHL encourage him to do.

Watson has a grand total of 9 SOG in his 15 GP, which includes zero shots in this game and zero shots in his previous six games.

He has a grand total of 13 shot attempts in his 15 GP, with 4 of them happening in his last 10 GP.

Sorry, it’s a bit of a stretch to argue that a shot from the defensive zone with zero time left was a merely an attempt to provide offense.

He’s a dirty heel with multiple game related suspensions and fines before this, and sorry Watson defenders, he got a fine for this bit of shitbaggery.

And the rules don’t encourage players to be reckless idiots even if you personally are a huge fan of such behavior.

 

[rynryn]

Never know what?

if you'll catch a goalie who already checked out (mentally).

 

[Coffey]

if you'll catch a goalie who already checked out (mentally).

And then what? Lose by 3 instead of 4?

 

[Maple Leaf]

Should press charges and send this sociopath to jail

 

[AndreRoy]

Watson has a grand total of 9 SOG in his 15 GP, which includes zero shots in this game and zero shots in his previous six games.

He has a grand total of 13 shot attempts in his 15 GP, with 4 of them happening in his last 10 GP.

Sorry, it’s a bit of a stretch to argue that a shot from the defensive zone with zero time left was a merely an attempt to provide offense.

He’s a dirty heel with multiple game related suspensions and fines before this, and sorry Watson defenders, he got a fine for this bit of shitbaggery.

And the rules don’t encourage players to be reckless idiots even if you personally are a huge fan of such behavior.

Who did you expect to shoot the puck, given that it was on Watson’s stick at the time? Or are only stars allowed to shoot in the last minute of a game now?

 

[rynryn]

And then what? Lose by 3 instead of 4?

yes. is there something wrong with that? gotta pad those stats

 

[Coffey]

gotta pad those stats

A player whos never had 20 points in a season is trying to pad his stats.

 

[rynryn]

A player whos never had 20 points in a season is trying to pad his stats.

I honestly don't know why you seem to think it's weird. LOL really a guy who never scores needs all the stats he can gather so it's especially motivating. 6 goals at the end of the year looks better than 5 goals even if only marginally. maybe one goal better than the guy they're thinking about replacing him with.

 

[Coffey]

I honestly don't know why you seem to think it's weird. LOL really a guy who never scores needs all the stats he can gather so it's especially motivating.

You'd think a guy who wants to score so many goals would have more than 9 shots in 15 games, being 20th on his team in shots.

And he thinks he had a good chance to score with 3 seconds left from his own blue line.

Really curious.

 

[Selanne00008]

Someone did that to me at the end of a beer league game. Same exact scenario. I LOST it. Lobby of the rink I said every word in the book about his mother at him in front of plenty of spectators lol.

EDIT: It was crystal clear that he did it on purpose and even admitted it.