Linesmen to Break Up Helmetless Fights

Linesmen now have the authority to step in, when it is safe to do so, and stop a fight when the combatants purposely take off their helmets.

The first clear example of this occured Tuesday night in Montreal when linesmen Steve Barton and Michel Cormier stepped in between Montreal’s Travis Moen and Edmonton’s Luke Gazdic seconds after they dumped their helmets to scrap.

Both players received unsportsmanlike minors rather than fighting majors.