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Bruce Codd really isn’t a pacifist. It just looks that way on paper.
Even when the Calgary Roughnecks were taking penalties in recent weeks, the veteran defender didn’t join them.
Through 14 games this season, Codd has taken just one minor penalty — a high-stick against Orlando March 20.
“It’s something to do with the style of play I have,” said the 5-foot-8, 150-pounder.
“I’m not going to physically intimidate anybody.
“There’s no sense for me to go about it that way. I don’t get into a whole lot of cross-checking. That’s when you can slip off an arm and hit somebody in the head.
“Most guys are much bigger and stronger than me. If I’m holding them, I’m basically just water-skiing. It’s easy for the refs to pick that up. If I could stop them, maybe I would hold more but it doesn’t help me.”
Staying out of the penalty box is nothing new for Codd. Since coming to Calgary from the Arizona Sting in 2008, the 32-year-old has taken just four minors.
Through the entire 2008 season, Codd didn’t take a penalty.
“I could probably take the odd one now and then if guys are going to be around the crease,” Codd said. “I like to think I play the game smart.”
The Riggers lost their cool a bit last week against the Colorado Mammoth. In the first half, the team took 31 penalty minutes and it was uncharacteristic for what was the least-penalized team in the NLL just a couple weeks ago.
It doesn’t help to commit infractions when the Riggers have the ninth-best penalty killing in the league.
“Something that has crept into our repertoire this year is our knack for being undisciplined at times,” Codd said.
“It certainly has to stop. If we do that in a tight playoff game, it could bite you. We have to clean that area up going into the playoffs.”
ian.busby@sunmedia.ca
