Used to when a team got the lead, they would clamp down on the defense and prevent the other team from getting quality shots. These tactics including grabbing, shoving, hooking with the stick, and otherwise obstructing players who did not have the puck. While all those tactics were technically illegal, they were rarely called unless the offended player got high-sticked, obviously tripped, cross-checked or boarded. So once a team got the lead, it made it difficult for the other team to come back to win.

Now, if a player does not have the puck, opposing players can not do anything to obstruct unless they want to sit in the penalty box for 2 minutes of game time. The new rules are working, and the skill players actually get to flaunt their skills.

>Why is that? I read an overview of the rule changes when they were announced but don't follow hockey much so have forgotten most of it.
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>>I also like the fact that a team that scores first no longer has a "90%" chance or greater to win. No more scoring first then bogging down the game with clutch-grab-obstruct tactics until the final horn sounds. A team can get down 2, 3 or more goals and still have a good chance to come back to win. Games are no longer "over" once one of the teams is up by 2 or more goals.