Every week, journalists from the Sports team answer your questions.
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Who won the faceoff?
We often evaluate the performance of a center based on its success rate in faceoffs. What about how to calculate this parameter? Does the involvement of wingers increase the success percentage of their center? And who is the judge of these often complex situations which result in shared results?
Jean-François L'Heureux
Response from Guillaume Lefrançois
Faceoff statistics are collected by minor officials present at games. According to the NHL Operations Manual, a player wins a faceoff if he “causes the puck to go in the desired direction.” It is added that this direction is generally “backwards”, but if the puck is sent forward and it is clear that this was the player's intention, the victory goes to him. In cases where it is unclear whether either center sent the puck in the desired direction, victory will go to the center of the team who makes “the first hockey play” with the puck . In other words, not the team that gets to the puck first, but the team that actually takes possession of it. So yes, in such cases, a winger can actually improve his center's record by winning the faceoff for him.
Too many NHL games?
PHOTO STEVEN BISIG, USA TODAY SPORTS
Klim Kostin of the San Jose Sharks was injured Saturday.
With the number of injuries in the NHL, why aren't sports therapists and others standing up to denounce too many games? Is this feasible?
Denis Renaud
Response from Guillaume Lefrançois
The NHL instead seems to be evaluating an opposite trend. Last summer, colleague Pierre LeBrun reported preliminary discussions between the league and the Players' Association regarding the idea of adding two games to the calendar to reach 84 games. The idea would be to reduce the preparatory calendar to four duels. The problem with your proposal, obviously, comes from the fact that the games are paid for, especially since the NHL is the circuit whose revenues rely the most on ticket sales. In the short term, no owner will want to deprive themselves of such income.
The name of the Lafleur-LemaireMahovlich-Shutt trio
PHOTO JOHN TAYLOR, ARCHIVES MONTRÉAL-MATIN
Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt
In hockey, several productive forward lines have been given famous names. Unless I'm mistaken, the line of Lafleur, Shutt, Lemaire or Mahovlich never had a particular name. Is there a reason? After all, this line was the name of the game at the time. She had nothing to envy of the others.
Jean Dufresne
Response from Alexandre Pratt
By delving into the archives of The PressI found a mocking nickname given to the trio formed by Guy Lafleur, Pete Mahovlich and Steve Shutt. The Donut Line. Réjean Tremblay, who used it at least twice at the time, explained its origin in a column in 2004. “There was a hole… in the center. It wasn't fair, since big Pete, brush or no brush, had collected 88 assists in one season. But let's say that Lafleur and Shutt found that the joke had some truth. In any case, the trio was even more dominant when Jacques Lemaire became the center player. » In the Total Hockey encyclopedia, it is indicated that the Lafleur-Mahovlich-Shutt trio was also nicknamed Flower Power, but I found no occurrence in our archives.
The sparks under the F1
PHOTO CHRISTIAN HARTMANN, ARCHIVES REUTERS
These sometimes spectacular sparks are the result of friction between the floor or flat bottom of the car chassis and the track surface.
I would like to know where the sparks that appear behind Formula 1 cars during a race come from.
Laval Doucet
Response from Simon Drouin
These sometimes spectacular sparks are the result of friction between the floor or flat bottom of the car chassis and the track surface. Formula 1 cars use a protective floor (“skid plates” in English) generally made of titanium, a very hard material which generates sparks when it comes into contact with the bitumen. The phenomenon is amplified on very abrasive and uneven surfaces, sections lined with vibrators and more rotating and “aggressive” circuits. Heavy braking is also likely to produce sparks. Titanium protective floors are designed to wear gradually over the course of the event. Note that these protection plates are mandatory in order to force manufacturers to give a minimum height to the chassis and thus prevent cars that are too low from taking advantage of an excessive aerodynamic advantage. Plate wear is measured after each race. Beware of the culprits: Lewis Hamilton (2e) and Charles Leclerc (6e) were disqualified a few hours after the 2023 United States Grand Prix due to excessive degradation. We bet that this incident caused metaphorical flames in the paddocks!
The beard of the series
PHOTO JASON FRANSON, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers during the last Stanley Cup final
Where does this tradition of NHL hockey players not shaving their faces in the playoffs come from?
Yvon Gauthier
Response from Mathias Brunet
We can notice at a glance, the Canadian's former glories were all razed during their conquests between 1976 and 1979. This tradition began immediately afterwards, with the New York Islanders, in 1980. Forward Bob Nystrom explained several years later that the tradition came about somewhat organically. The Islanders won their first Stanley Cup, then, out of superstition, beards returned the following year. They have won four in a row! Ironically, the Islanders are led today with an iron fist by Lou Lamoriello, who refuses players to wear beards and long hair!
