Delay is part of the game in Kings vs. Sharks series

It only seems as though the delay-of-game penalty -- for shooting the puck over the glass -- is getting called in every single playoff game.

Or maybe just in the Kings-Sharks series. There have been three such calls in this Western Conference semifinal series, directly affecting the outcome of three of the six games. It assisted the Kings in Game 2, helped the Sharks in Game 3 and resulted in San Jose’s first goal in Game 6.

The latter was called against Kings center Anze Kopitar, and NBC Sports came up with a great replay of the moment, showing the puck just barely clearing the glass. In these playoffs, overall, the delay of game penalty (Rule 63.2) has been called 23 times.

“I think it’s just a fluke. It’s a fluke penalty. No one -- even before the penalty [was put in] -- has tried to put one out on purpose,� Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi said Monday.

“I know in the St. Louis series, I put one into the bench because it’s not against the rules and we were sucking wind and we needed a change. But I think it’s just a fluke. Unlucky, pucks are rolling and you’re on a penalty kill and you’re trying to get the puck, trying to hit it as hard as you can and sometimes it can get away from you.�

In fact, the officials dislike calling it. Mark Spector of Canadian website Sportsnet.ca interviewed referee Paul Devorski this week about the penalty.

“I hate it,� he told Spector. “Only because … we all knew when a guy was tired and he threw the puck over the glass. Now … a guy tries to put it off the glass and he’s got it a little too high, and sure as hell he gets a penalty.�

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