Getting thrown out of faceoff on purpose

[shooter27 116]

Ok, so this is admittedly a weird question, but here goes. A while back I was watching a game and one of the commentators talked about a winger going into the faceoff circle and getting thrown out on purpose so that the center could then come in and take the faceoff. At the time he gave some kind of explanation that made it sound like it made strategic sense to me, but I can't remember what that explanation was. Does anyone know of a good reason that a team would or does have someone thrown out of a faceoff on purpose?

[camhockey16 5]

i was thinking that i could see a coach make the wrong guy take the faceoff and get kicked out intentionally - so that the real faceoff guy could then come in. because most coaches would know that the ref won't "typically" throw out two people in a row

[Speedz98 15]

A ref can throw out two centerman in a row from the same team. If that happens, a minor penalty is given to the offending team.

[Chadd 916]

A ref can throw out two centerman in a row from the same team. If that happens, a minor penalty is given to the offending team.

Can and will are two very different things.

I could see them trying to see if the other team will tip off what they are trying to do on the faceoff.

[BarDownGinos 3]

Can and will are two very different things.

I could see them trying to see if the other team will tip off what they are trying to do on the faceoff.

Tip off, or try and get the other center to bite and they both get tossed, leaving the team that did it on purppose bringing their center in vs someone else from the other side.

[jg144 0]

perhaps it was after an icing and it was a strategic move to get some rest in between time off the puck drop? maybe if the winger initially sets up to take the draw and gets kicked out it would buy the guys some time to catch their breathe

[ibeck 38]

Maybe it was a bad line change, the winger realized his center would not get there in time and would've been waived out, so the winger intentionally got waived out, then the center replaced him.

[Hradsky 1]

Maybe it was a bad line change, the winger realized his center would not get there in time and would've been waived out, so the winger intentionally got waived out, then the center replaced him.

I'm pretty sure it's this.

[chk hrd 164]

there are a couple of reasons why you might want to change; where the face off is, is the opponent right or left, who is on the ice. It can all make a difference

[theWB 2]

Justin Bourne Column

[shooter27 116]

Justin Bourne Column

That is definitely where I saw it oiriginally - thanks for posting it.

[theWB 2]

No prob, took me a few minutes to remember where I saw it.