Martin Brodeur: Time To Put Up or Shut up

Tuesday night, we saw the Devils lose with 0.2 seconds on the clock. During that time, Dennis Seidenberg took a shot that deflected off of Jussi Jokinen's skate. Martin Brodeur didn't take too kindly to a little bump Jussi Jokinen gave him. You can view the video at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmMqotFGoI0

Of the incident, Martin Brodeur had this to say:

"'I had time to reset myself.' That's always the same answer. It doesn't matter which referee," Brodeur said. "It's the easy way out for them to say that. It's hard. You want to play your game. You want to do what's right and be in the best position you can.

"With these guys [Carolina], they go to the net. They play hard," he added. "I am not complaining about how Carolina is playing. They don't take liberty. They're pretty fair about it. They got to the net. The referee has to do their job. Today was pretty awful."

Martin Brodeur was complaining about Jussi Jokinen's bump, and he believes that the call should have been Goalie Interference.

In the NHL Rulebook under Rule 69 of Goalie Interference, it says (and I quote): "A goalkeeper is not “fair game” just because he is outside the goal crease. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an attacking player makes unnecessary contact with the goalkeeper. However, incidental contact will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such unnecessary contact."

Martin Brodeur was at least two feet in front of the goal crease at the time of the incident, while Jussi Jokinen was not making any unnecessary efforts to interfere with Brodeur. Jussi, in fact, didn't even see Brodeur as his eyes were looking forward the whole time, looking at the puck.

This incident is similar to last year's incident where Sean Avery screened Brodeur differently than no other. At the time of the incident, I believe it was pure genius of Avery, as many will argue that it was stupid and exhibited unsportsmanlike conduct, but I say if it hasn't been done before, why not try it, and it worked. Martin Brodeur was very critical of the officiating of that game, and of Sean Avery. When the Devils lost the series, he refused to shake his hand, even though Avery did the move following every rule in the book at the time.

Martin Brodeur may be a four-time Vezina Trophy Winner, ten-time all-star, and a three-time Stanley Cup Winner, but there comes a time where you have to shut up and play, and that time comes tonight when the Carolina Hurricanes are in New Jersey and face the Devils.