Referees Sticking It to Unnecessary Stick Work

Andy VanHellemond and his officials have been busy.

A crackdown is under way to limit stick fouls in the NHL, and that has led to many penalties and more goals.

“We haven’t changed any rules,” said VanHellemond, the new director of officiating. “They are the same rules, we’ve just raised the bar a bit on the standard -- especially when the stick is used toward an opponent in the form of checking.”

Through the first week and a half of the NHL season, slashing calls have gone up 192 percent and restraining calls have had an 86 percent increase.

“Picture in front of the net, somebody standing there and a guy cross-checking him in the back three or four times,” VanHellemond explained. “The defense would think that was a form of checking when really he was using the stick for not what it was meant for.

“Players were taking forceable chops to the forearms and above the waist area and say that was a form of checking. We’re calling more slashing penalties, that’s the area we’re now watching.”

In turn, goals have gone up 11 percent compared with the early portion of last season.

“That’s not why we’re doing this,” VanHellemond said. “We’re doing this to play the game more with the sticks on the ice and not on someone’s upper body.”

VanHellemond cites less obstruction as a reason why goal production might be rising. Those calls have dropped 78 percent after more attention was focused there last season.

“The ice is freed up for the offense,” VanHellemond said. “So maybe that’s why goals are being scored. There’s more chances on the net.”

WELCOME BACK

It took six years for the New York Rangers to get back to City Hall.

Once they got there, they were given an invitation by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to return in June ... provided they have the Stanley Cup in tow.

Several members of the Rangers, including captain Mark Messier, attended a ceremony last week with the mayor at City Hall that celebrated the Rangers’ 75th anniversary in the NHL.

The team had not been there since it was honored with a parade in 1994 after winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in 54 years.

A miniature Stanley Cup was on display this time, providing incentive for the Rangers to win it again and come back next summer for another celebration.

Giuliani, a big Yankees fan who has been wrapped up in New York’s first Subway Series in 44 years, not only wants another hockey title but is picking the opponents he wants knocked off along the way. Most notably the defending Stanley Cup champions.

“I want to see you back here in June,” the mayor said, “but I want to make sure you beat New Jersey.”

BOLTS OF LIGHTNING

The Tampa Bay Lightning killed off their first 29 short-handed situations this season before the expansion Minnesota Wild broke through with two power-play goals Wednesday night in their first victory.

“That’s their job. That’s what they get paid for,” coach Steve Ludzik said. “That was my job in the NHL. You have to take special pride that you are going to kill every one of those penalties.”

The strong penalty-killing is a bit surprising coming from a team that last year became the second club in NHL history to have three straight 50-loss seasons.

“We have to maintain the work habit,” said goalie Kevin Weekes, acquired in a draft-day deal. “If we continue doing that, we’ll put ourselves in good position nine out of 10 times.

“Everybody knows that it takes the effort of all the different groups to make the team successful. We win together. We lose together.”

NET LOSSES

Glory was fleeting for young Philadelphia goalie Maxime Ouellet. One moment he was etching his name into the team’s record book and soon after he was gone.

Ouellet became the youngest goalie (19 years, 3 months, 19 days) to play for the Flyers when he stopped all six shots he faced in an Oct. 7 no-decision vs. Boston.

Five days later, he became the youngest goalie (19 years, 3 months, 24 days) to start a game for the Flyers when he stopped 18 of 21 shots in a 4-1 loss in Dallas on Oct. 12.

Jean-Marc Pelletier, who started for the Flyers on his 21st birthday on March 4, 1999, was the previous franchise record holder.

But the Flyers, who would like to have Ouellet play with Philadelphia of the AHL, can’t send him there full time because he is still eligible to play in juniors.

So, five days after his start, Ouellet was sent on a two-week conditioning stint to the Flyers’ minor league affiliate that plays just across the parking lot from their First Union Center.

He isn’t the only young Flyers goalie who is not enjoying his best days.

Brian Boucher, who led the NHL with a 1.91 goals-against average as a rookie last season, did not play in Philadelphia’s 3-3 tie with Montreal on Thursday. Boucher allowed 21 goals and was pulled twice in five starts.

GOING APE

Not only is Jack the Chimp appearing in theaters, he might be coming to an NHL rink near you, too.

Jack, star of the film “MVP - Most Valuable Primate,” has started performing between periods of games. The skating and shooting primate was on Long Island and in Chicago and plans to tour about 10 more arenas over the next month.

The film, which has been playing in Canada, opened in U.S. theaters Friday.