** REMINDER RETURNING OFFICIALS **

Returning officials have 5 days to complete their requirements for the 18/19 season AND have their new crest on their sweater.

Off-Side

An attacking or defending player in an end zone shoots the puck into the Neutral Zone. The puck hits an Official in the Neutral Zone and deflects off the Official back into the end zone while an attacking player is still in the Attacking Zone. Where is the ensuing face-off?

At the point of deflection. Rule Reference 630(b).

Any deflection, whether off a teammate, an opponent, an Official, or the boards or glass creating an off-side situation at the blue line, must be treated as such. Officials must always strive to position themselves in such a manner that would allow the puck to leave the zone before striking them, thereby creating the off-side situation.

Sticks

During the course of play, a goaltender loses his stick. His defensemen picks up the goaltenders stick while in possession of his own stick; in the process of returning the stick to the goaltender, the defensemen plays the puck, is this a legal play?

No, Rule Reference 301(e)

A minor penalty for an equipment violation shall be assessed to a player or goalkeeper who participates in the play while he is in possession of more than one stick, except that no penalty shall be assessed to a player who is accidentally struck by the puck while he is carrying a replacement stick to a teammate.

Composition of Teams

During the course of the game the referee is notified that Players or Team Officials that have received a previous suspension are participating in the game. These players did not sit out or fulfill their obligated suspension time. Should the referee penalize the offending team?

No. Rule Reference 201(c).

The referee may not be aware of the time period that has taken place between games and therefore cannot enforce suspensions to Players or Team Officials. The referee is required to report the incident to the proper authorities for further review.

** REMINDER RETURNING OFFICIALS **

Returning officials need complete their requirements for the 18/19 season AND have their new crest on their sweater by December 1st.

Standard of Play

The attacking team is in possession of the puck in the Attacking Zone and the puck is passed back to the blue line. The puck stops on the blue line, then is shot back again. Has an off-sides infraction occurred?

No. Rule Reference 630(a).

The puck would have had to completely cross the blue line before being shot back into the Attacking Zone for an off-side to occur.

Throwing the Stick

 A defending player throws his stick along the ice at an attacking player in possession and control of the puck. The attacking player is in his Attacking Zone when the stick is thrown. The stick does not hit the puck or the player, but the player loses possession of the puck. Is a penalty shot to be awarded?

Yes. The offended team has a penalty shot/optional minor penalty option. Rule Reference 637(a).

When a defending player throws his stick in the direction of the puck that is in his Defending Zone, a penalty shot must be awarded. In this situation the Referee cannot be expected to determine whether the stick caused the attacking player to lose his concentration or if he lost possession by his own actions.

Abuse of Officials

A player on the ice makes physical contact with an Official following a decision made by that Official. What penalty or penalties shall be assessed?

A misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty, depending on the severity of the offense. Rule References 601(d.1, e.4 and f.1). The officials must be able to distinguish between the severity of the contact and the intent of the player in order to assess the appropriate penalty. Simply touching an official does not constitute a physical assault calling for a match penalty.

Hooking
What would be examples of an infraction warranting a major penalty for hooking?

Rule Reference 623(a).

1) A player is hooked around the waist, and the offending player is able to steer the opponent violently into the boards or goal frame.

2) A player is hooked between the legs and the offending player uses the blade of the stick to punish the opponent (AKA cup check). This could also be penalized under Spearing if the toe of the blade is used.

401 – Penalties
Any player who receives five penalties in the same game shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty. [Game Misconduct shall be recorded on the game sheet in addition to the players other penalties.]
(note: know any league specific rules!)

Any Head Coach whose team receives 15 or more penalties during one game shall be suspended for the next scheduled game of that team. See 401 – Situation 4, page 95. [15 or more penalties shall be noted on the game sheet]
In both situations, a Game Report is required.

Broken Stick
What does the word “participate” mean in reference to a player who participates in play with a broken stick?

“Participate” shall mean playing or attempting to play the puck, body-checking or attempting to body-check an opponent, or continuing any action that directly affects the play. Rule Reference 605(a).

A player may carry a broken stick to his players’ bench only if he is in the immediate vicinity of the bench, is completely out of the play and does so immediately upon breaking the stick.

18 Days!
You have 18 days left to complete your requirements for the 18/19 season, don’t wait!

Your turn
Have a question that you’d like to see answered here? Knowledge that you’d like to share? Just hit reply, we’d love to hear from you. 

#WeHaveYourBack
Have you as an official been placed in a situation that you feel was not resolved to your satisfaction? We can help you. We are here to support you. Abuse by a player or coach is never acceptable, we have your back. Click reply, and we’ll do what we can to help.

If you would like to promote your business to other officials, 
click reply to this email with the details.

Goalkeeper

What’s the call if a goaltender comes to the bench during a stoppage of play

Rule 205(e)

During a stoppage of play a goalkeeper may not go to his players’ bench without the permission of the Referee (except during time-outs) unless he is substituted for by another player or goalkeeper. For a violation of this rule a bench minor penalty for illegal substitution shall be assessed.

Hand Pass

Puck is flipped in the air near goal crease. Attacking player and defenseman both reach up to try and bat puck with hand (jump ball). Attacking player bats puck into defenseman and then puck goes into goal. Puck would not have gone in without contact by defenseman. Goal or no goal?

618(b)
No goal can be scored as a result of the puck being propelled by the hand of an attacking player regardless if the puck enters the goal directly from the hand or deflects off of any player prior to entering the goal.

Goalkeeper Equipment

Can a goalkeeper playing in the Youth or Girls’ age classifications wear a “cats-eye” facemask?

Yes, as long as it is HECC approved. Rule References 303(b) and 304 (c & d).
There are some HECC approved goalkeeper facemasks that do have the look of a “cat’s-eye” shape. In these cases, the openings of the facemask are small enough to meet ASTM standards and do receive HECC approval. The shape of the opening is not important, it is the size of the opening that will determine whether certification is gained.

Why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8w6eR0o7vw

HECC Certification

The Non-Certified Cat-Eye on the RIGHT, will NOT have the HECC Sticker on it

Your turn

Today’s questions came from you! Have a question that you’d like to see answered here? Knowledge that you’d like to share? Just hit reply, we’d love to hear from you.

#WeHaveYourBack

Have you as an official been placed in a situation that you feel was not resolved to your satisfaction? We can help you. We are here to support you. Abuse by a player or coach is never acceptable, we have your back. Click reply, and we’ll do what we can to help.

Puck Must Be Kept In Motion

A player is playing the puck along the boards with his skates or stick, but not advancing the puck in an attempt to obtain a stoppage of play. What should the Referee do if this action continues?

Initially the Referee should verbally alert the player to advance the puck, provided he is not being checked. If, after approximately three seconds expire, no attempt has been made to advance the puck, the Referee shall stop play and assess a minor penalty for delaying the game. Rule References 632(b) and 610(a).

It is most important for the Referee to verbally instruct the player to move the puck.

Throwing The Stick

With the goalkeeper off the ice, an opposing player gains possession of the puck on a breakaway in the Neutral Zone, and the puck is knocked off his stick by a stick thrown by a trailing defending player. The attacking player himself is not interfered with, and would easily be able to regain possession of the loose puck, continue on his breakaway and (in the Referee’s opinion) score a goal. Should the Referee stop play immediately and award the goal?

Yes. Rule Reference 637(b).

In this situation the offended player is not required to be in his Attacking Zone for an awarded goal to apply when a stick or other object is thrown or shot. Note also that if the Referee does not feel that the player would have had a clear shot on goal had the thrown stick not occurred, then the proper call is a minor penalty since the infraction did not occur in the offending player’s Defending Zone.

Sticks

A player uses a hollow shafted stick without the insertion plug on the top. Shall the Referee allow a player to play with such a stick?

No, the stick shall be replaced immediately. Rule Reference 301(a).

The player must have the plug inserted or have a sufficient amount of tape covering the exposed end of the shaft to prevent injury.

Your turn

Have a question that you’d like to see answered here? Knowledge that you’d like to share? Just hit reply, we’d love to hear from you.

#WeHaveYourBack

Have you as an official been placed in a situation that you feel was not resolved to your satisfaction? We can help you. We are here to support you. Abuse by a player or coach is never acceptable, we have your back. Click reply, and we’ll do what we can to help.

If you would like to promote your business to other officials, click reply to this email with the details.

Broken Stick

The goalkeeper breaks his stick. A player of the same team obtains a goalkeeper’s stick at the players’ bench and, in the act of taking the stick to the goalkeeper, he slides it along the ice to the goalkeeper. Is this action considered to be legal?

Yes. Rule References 605(b), 625(a.7) and 637(a). No penalty would be imposed unless the stick was thrown in the direction of the puck (Rule 637) or does so for the purpose of distracting an opponent (Rule 625).

High Stick / Faceoff Location

A player high sticks the puck which deflects to an opponent. The opponent makes no attempt to play the puck, hoping to get a face-off in the offending team’s Defending Zone when the puck is first played by a member of the offending team. What should the Referee do?

The Referee should stop play and the ensuing face-off shall take place at an end face-off spot in the Defending Zone of the offending team. Rule Reference 621(c). The non- offending team has no obligation to play the puck in this instance, because of the high stick infraction committed by the opposing team.

Interference

The puck is legally in the crease. It is loose. It is sitting next to the goalie’s leg pad, with the leg horizontal to the ice. An attacking player pushes the puck in the net, along with the goalie’s leg. Goal or no goal?

An attacking player may not physically interfere with a goalkeeper in his/her crease. While a puck that is located in the crease is “in play”, an attacking player may not push or otherwise force the puck into the goal by making contact with the goalkeeper.

Your turn

Have a question that you’d like to see answered here? Knowledge that you’d like to share? Just hit reply, we’d love to hear from you.

#WeHaveYourBack

Have you as an official been placed in a situation that you feel was not resolved to your satisfaction? We can help you. We are here to support you. Abuse by a player or coach is never acceptable, we have your back. Click reply, and we’ll do what we can to help.

If you would like to promote your business to other officials, click reply to this email with the details.