Sidney Crosby Slams ‘Terrible Rule’ Following Game 7 Loss

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby returned for Saturday nigt’s Game 7. But after an intense back-and-forth battle led to OT, Crosby’s Pens were eliminated when Rangers wing Artemi Panarin snapped a wrist shot past Tristan Jarry on a power play.

However, it was how the Rangers go to OT that had many Penguins fans and players enraged.

Prior to Mika Zibanejad’s game-tying goal late in the third period, Marcus Pettersson was engaged in a battle with Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere when his helmet was pulled off. Because of an NHL rule, Pettersson had to return to the bench, and the Rangers proceeded to tie the game up.

Pittsburgh were asking for a penalty on the Rangers for removing Pettersson's helmet#Penguins 3 #NYR 3 P3 pic.twitter.com/bqjjP40M6K

— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) May 16, 2022

After the game, Sidney Crosby slammed the ruling that called for Pettersson to come off the ice after his helmet was snapped off.

Sidney Crosby: "That terrible rule ends up probably being the difference in the game."

Talking about Marcus Pettersson's helmet being ripped off and Pettersson leaving the ice before the Rangers goal that forced OT.

— Taylor Haase (@TaylorHaasePGH) May 16, 2022

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan also took issue with the new NHL rule.

“I think it stinks,” Sullivan said. “He has to come off. His helmet get pulled off intentionally. But that’s the rule.”

Despite Sidney Crosby and Mike Sullivan’s comments, Marcus Pettersson didn’t have to come off the ice after his helmet was ripped off. If he could have located the helmet and place it back on (even without strapping it on) he would have been allowed to continue defending the Rangers rush.

The rule reads as follows:

“A player on the ice whose helmet comes off during play shall be assessed a minor penalty if he does not exit the playing surface or retrieve and replace his helmet properly on his head (with or without his chin strap fastened), within a reasonable period of time. It is reasonable if a player who is making a play on the puck or who is in the vicinity of the puck and engaged in the play at the time his helmet comes off, takes the opportunity to complete the play before either exiting the ice or retrieving and replacing his helmet.”

Mike Sullivan and Sidney Crosby clearly feel like they got put on the wrong end of a controversial ruling, and now they’ll have to live with the Game 7 loss for a long offseason.

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