PTO Forward For The Blues Makes Costly Mistake
The preseason is a great time for any bubble player to really leave a positive impression on their coach. There are multiple ways to make an impact, and on Tuesday night Nick Ritchie was trying to do just that.
After bouncing around the league the last few seasons 27 year old Ritchie is looking to earn a contract with the Blues after signing a PTO contract before training camp.
The Blues were taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets in preseason action but unfortunately for Ritchie he made a mistake that earned him a game misconduct, and ended his night early.
During the second period of Tuesday's game between the Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets, Ritchie dropped the mitts with Josh Dunne. Ritchie got the better of Dunne, landing several strong blows, but at the end of the tilt, his jersey and shoulder pads came completely off, revealing that he didn't tie down his fight strap. Because his fight strap was not tied down, not only did Ritchie receive a five-minute major for dropping the gloves, he was also handed a game misconduct.
Per the NHL's rule book, 46.13 states the following:
"A player who engages in a fight and whose jersey is not properly "tied-down" (jersey properly fastened to pants), and who loses his jersey (completely off of his torso) in that altercation, shall receive a game misconduct penalty."
I highly doubt Ritchie will be making the mistake of not tying down his fight strap again. It turns out to be a costly mistake for a player scratching and clawing to remain in the NHL.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Nick Ritchie earns an NHL contract with the Blues? | ||
| Yes, the roster needs more physicality | 21 | 23.6 % |
| No, the speed of the NHL is passing him by | 39 | 43.8 % |
| Not with the Blues but with sign one with someone | 29 | 32.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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