CBC-Sports

MacTavish taking too much blame for stick risk

April 3, 2009 04:39 PM | Posted by   Kelly Hrudey  

The Edmonton Oilers’ playoff chances suffered an enormous blow this week when they lost at home to the Anaheim Ducks in a game that was absolutely crucial to both teams.

The game was not without controversy though and Oilers coach Craig MacTavish was at the centre of the storm.

After clawing back into the game and only trailing the Ducks by one goal (the Ducks led 4-1 after two periods), MacTavish choose to take a risk when he challenged the legality of Teemu Selanne’s stick with just over two minutes remaining in regulation.

The right choice

The intent was to have a two-man advantage with two minutes to play (he would have pulled Dwayne Roloson as well) allowing the Oilers the greatest opportunity to tie the game.

Unfortunately, the move turned out to be the wrong one as Selanne had a legal stick and - as the rule book states - the Oilers were then given a two-minute penalty, which all but sealed their fate. Nonetheless, in my opinion he tried the proper move.

A decision like this is not taken lightly by the coaching staff. Some sort of tip off or information allowed MacTavish to consider the idea in the first place. Just looking at Selanne’s stick makes me wonder at times if his blade’s width is over the limit. Another factor is Selanne has in the past been caught using an illegal stick late in the game.

Too much blame

Now, to his credit, Selanne was using a perfectly legal stick, but in this dire situation, with my team fighting for a playoff berth, I seriously would have considered this option and in all likelihood would have asked the officials to measure the stick, too.

Hindsight is always right, but I for one will not criticize MacTavish for trying to give his team the best chance to tie and even win the game.

Taking risks is part of being a coach at every level and MacTavish is taking too much blame for doing what he thought at the time was the proper move.

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