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Rangers seek clarification of penalty shot

BY STEVE ZIPAY | steve.zipay@newsday.com

May 3, 2008

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In the Devils series, the NHL created the Avery Rule.

Will we get the Girardi Rule in this one?

In the second period of Game 4, with the Rangers ahead 1-0, Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi broke his stick on a shot in the Penguins' zone and Evgeni Malkin scooped up the puck for a breakaway.

Girardi gave chase and pushed Malkin from behind as he was closing in on Henrik Lundqvist. Malkin fell forward into the net, taking Lundqvist and the puck with him, knocking the cage off its moorings at 17:53. A goal was not awarded after a video review, but referee Kevin Pollock awarded Malkin a penalty shot. Malkin then slowed almost to a stop before trying to beat Lundqvist on his glove side and failed.

On Friday, after his team met to discuss strategy for another elimination game - Game 5 Sunday in Pittsburgh - Rangers coach Tom Renney said general manager Glen Sather contacted the league to clarify the awarding of the penalty shot.

"They're getting back to us," Renney said. "It was a penalty of some kind. I don't know. It has to be a trip, a hook, crosscheck, whatever. It doesn't say anything about it in the rulebook."

Brendan Shanahan also was mystified and didn't get a clear response after discussing it with the on-ice officials.

Penguins coach Michel Therrien was unhappy about the no-goal ruling. "[The officials] said Malkin pushed the goalie," he said. "That's the first time I've seen a guy on a breakaway finish his check."

Malkin certainly attempted more "finishing" later in the game. The big Russian and the smaller Sidney Crosby went after Girardi at 13:32 of the third period after Girardi flattened Marian Hossa near the benches. Both Penguins received roughing penalties.

Then in the final minute, with the game out of reach, Malkin kicked Paul Mara's skates out from under him.

"He did it twice, right at their blue line going into their zone, and then right in front of the ref," Mara said after the game. "And that's a classless act by a superstar. And there is no need for that in our game. We're up 2-0 and it's not like it's a little slew foot; it's a full kick, if you watch the replay."

The NHL did not suspend Malkin, who received a 10-minute misconduct with 14 seconds remaining, along with Mara, who had two minutes tacked on for roughing.

"Different people express their frustration in different ways," Shanahan said. "We were just happy we finished it the way we wanted to ... It's just a start for us, but it's the kind of start we wanted. In Game 5, everyone's going to have a lot of emotion and they're going to want to finish the game off as soon as possible."

That approach was echoed by Renney. "We're not out of the woods. We have to understand we're going into a hostile environment," he said, "and we'll have to duplicate our effort, and more."

Notes & quotes: In this round, the team leading the series 3-1 has a 41-23 record in Game 5. For the home team, it's 28-13; for the visitors, it's 13-10 ... Sean Avery (lacerated spleen) remained hospitalized, but his condition continued to improve.

Rangers vs. Penguins

Penguins lead series 3-1

Game 1: Penguins 5, Rangers 4

Game 2: Penguins 2, Rangers 0

Game 3: Penguins 5, Rangers 3

Game 4: Rangers 3, Penguins 0

Sunday: at Pittsburgh, 2 p.m.

TV: Ch. 4

*Monday: at Rangers, 7 p.m.

TV: MSG

*Wednesday: at Pittsburgh, TBD

TV: MSG

*if necessary

All games on WEPN (1050), WLNG (92.1) and WLIR (107.1)