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Billy Smith story; via Kerry Fraser
Topic Started: Jun 4 2011, 02:57 PM (993 Views)
Snowy
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The Dark Knight
For those who dont know, Kerry Fraser writes for TSN a lot these days. Usually answering questions relating to officiating. Anyway, he responded to a question about Tim Thomas and his leaving the crease constantly. Mainly it related to goalie interference. Good article. Anyway, Fraser usually tells a story from his career relating to the question:

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Let me share one last thought for consideration as we move forward.  It comes from an arrangement I made with NY Islanders Hall of Fame goalie Billy Smith from the time I was a rookie referee.  Smitty was known for using his stick for more than stopping shots or clearing away pucks.  He was a scary individual and never hesitated to take law and order into his own hands; something I wanted him to avoid when I was working Islander games.

The first time Smitty whacked a guy in his crease I approached him and said, "I want to make a deal with you.  I promise to penalize every player that interferes with you when you are in your goal crease. If you touch them with your stick though, I guarantee that you will get the penalty. Do we have a deal?"

Billy Smith said, "Deal. That's all I want, is to be able to stop the puck without being interfered with."

I wasn't finished negotiating yet and wanted to cover all the bases with this guy.  I then asked him what "protection" he expected when he was "outside of his crease."

Smitty grinned as he pointed his 'hatchet' into the end zone and said, "Don't worry about me when I'm out there, I'll take care of myself --then you can give me a penalty!"

Goalies of today are looking for the "Right of Way"… Billy Smith cleared his own path; straight to The Hockey Hall of Fame.



http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=367791
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oldislesfan
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All Star


That's my Billy!

Public enemy #1 in edmonton.

Whatta guy.

B)
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The average dog is nicer than the average person
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lynskyn12
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Wearing my authentic game worn Radek Martinek Jersey #24
Didn't matter who the player was. Right Wayne?
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Sab31
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4th line
Love that article....I idolized Smitty when I was a young goalie...getting myself in trouble and various suspensions using my stick to clear my crease and beyond.....and then became a ref...go f'n figure! lol

SAB
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LEDZEP
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The Best That Ever Skated 80-81-82-83
Ask Lindy Ruff about Billy Smith............................ :torrey:
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What puckhead says is Islander law
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Come in with the milk

"A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one,
must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough."

Ronald Reagan
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Islander4cups
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Sab31,Jun 6 2011
05:56 AM
Love that article....I idolized Smitty when I was a young goalie...getting myself in trouble and various suspensions using my stick to clear my crease and beyond.....and then became a ref...go f'n figure! lol

SAB

As a kid, I had the butt end of my goalie stick taped like Smitty did with a good ince of shaft above the tape knob. I had no idea why Smitty was doing it until I saw the bit with Ruff. It was definitely a cheap shot, but I always hated Ruff and still do. Smitty shouldn't have done it, but if you are going to do something dirty, do it to the guys you don't like lol. I'd love to see what he'd do to today's punks like Avery and Clusterf*ck and that idiot on Pitt Matt Cooke.
I miss these :cup: :cup: :cup: :cup: and want more of them
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