Sabres’ Jordan Greenway draws ire for penalty killing without a stick

Sabres’ Jordan Greenway draws ire for penalty killing without a stick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Buffalo Sabres were down a man when they allowed the Montreal Canadiens goal that put the Habs in front on Sunday night.

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But they weren’t just on the penalty kill. One of their players on the ice, Jordan Greenway, was without his stick.

It didn’t take long for social media to all share their takes on that. Yes, sticks can break, but then there are options for what can happen next.

Usually when it happens on the penalty kill, the player without a stick stays on the ice and just tries to put his body in the way however he can.

On this particular goal, it made Greenway pretty much a traffic cone to be navigated around by Lane Hutson:

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The reality is that there’s an alternative option here where Greenway sprints to get a new stick from the bench and, in the meantime, the Sabres have to deal with a 5-on-3 for a short period.

But maybe taking a brief 5-on-3 is worth it if the rest of the penalty kill can happen with everyone armed with a stick.

Obviously, there’s risk in taking another skater out of the play.

But there’s also clear risk in leaving the guy out there with no stick.

This isn’t Greenway’s fault. He just happens to be in the middle of this debate for Buffalo hockey fans at the moment.

Odds are, nothing will change about this approach. But it’d be fascinating to see a team try the alternative route here, because it probably has merit.

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