We are coming down the home stretch of the High School season and I just wanted to clarify a rule that seems to get a lot of grumbling from the stands. Although I took the rule out of the Federation book, this basically applies to every rule book in hockey. So lets get to it.

Rule 6-40 article 3 states that a penalty shall be assessed to a player who intentionally or recklessly contacts a player to the head, including with the stick or by an illegal body check. Penalty-minor or major if flagrant.  Continue reading »

There has been a lot of talk about hits from behind, high hits and head contact this season in all levels of hockey and today I want to talk about the youth level. From a referee’s prospective on a hit from behind, it is cut and dry. You either did it or you didn’t and the only variable should be the severity of the hit and whether it takes place around the board or the open ice.

For those of you that don’t know, the penalty for a hit from behind can be a minor with a misconduct for the less severe hits like at open ice or a major plus a game misconduct and possibly a disqualification or match(USA Rules). Referee’s have to look at intent, injury and whether the offending player was trying to back off of the hit as well as the area of the ice on where the hit took place. Continue reading »

Tuesday night in Montreal, Slava Kozlov of the Atlanta Thrashers cross checked Montreal’s Scott Gomez into the end boards during the overtime frame. Although it doesn’t appear that this was an intent to injure type play, Kozlov is still took advantage of an unprotected Gomez as he was turning towards the puck. Kozlov was handed a 5 minute major and a game misconduct which was the proper call.

The NHL rule book states as follows.

Rule 44 – Checking from Behind

44.1 Checking from Behind – A check from behind is a check delivered on a player who is not aware of the impending hit, therefore unable to protect or defend himself, and contact is made on the back part of the body. When a player intentionally turns his body to create contact with his back, no penalty shall be assessed.

So would the assessed penalties on the ice be enough punishment to Kozlov or is a fine and/or suspension in order? Watch the game clip and decide for yourself. I have looked at it several times and feel that Kozlov was well aware of what he was doing . The fact of Gomez not being hurt should not come into play when Colin Cambell looks at this clip. Kozlov should be held accountable for his actions.

It’s like a broken record over and over again but we have to keep bringing this issue up and why you ask, because hockey players are still acting reckless and have no respect for the game or opponents they are playing against.

I see it every day in youth hockey and although the players are ultimately the ones making the hit. The coaches are to blame  to some degree and I don’t know one coach that would approve of a hit from behind on any player but years ago when you watched a youth hockey game, coaches were yelling “defense, pass, skate and shoot” all the time to their players. Now I am on the ice and all I hear is “BODY” and “HIT EM”.

These young kids feel pressured to impress their teammates and not let down their coach and unfortunately the only way some of them can achieve this task is by taking advantage of a player in a vulnerable situation because they are simply not fast enough to do it right. This is not the first or nearly the last time we will talk about this subject and for all the youth players out there….hockey is a very fast sport but take a second to think before you severely injure a player, that player could be you just as easy. There is nothing worse than seeing a kid being carried off in a stretcher.

Click on the links to read the definition of the rule in your book. USA Hockey rule 607, NFHS (Federation/High School) rule 6-7.

Every two years USA Hockey makes some adjustments to their rule book and this year was no different. Judging by the chirping in my ear over the weekend, it seems to me that there are numerous linesman that have missed their calling…or not and for those of you that are unaware of the changes, I will break  down some of the more common ones  for you.

403(b) Major Penalty

For a player that is assessed a non-coincident major penalty and game misconduct, the offending team is not required to immediately place a substitute on the penalty bench and may do so prior to the expiration of the penalty. No player may enter the game except from the penalty bench with a bench minor penalty being assessed for a violation.

**this is basically saying that bench players will no longer have to serve the entire major penalty of another teammate. The coach has the option of putting a player in the box through out the penalty but be aware that if the coach fails to place a player in the box before the major expires, the team will remain shorthanded until the next whistle, this applies to match penalties as well.

409(b)

Calling of Penalties Requires a delayed penalty that is nullified as the result of a goal being scored to be recorded on the game sheet and count towards the 5/15 penalty

**at one time if you were called for a penalty and during the delayed call, the other team scores and you have a big sigh of relief . Your not off the hook anymore, those penalties will now be counted on the score sheet.

601(i.2) Abuse of Officials and Other Misconduct

Allows for game misconduct to be assessed to a Team Official for persisting in any course of conduct for which the team has previously been assessed a bench minor penalty.

**Needless to say, this is my favorite. Lets say the head coach argues a call( I know, coaches never scream)   and gets the bench minor. The asst. coach disagrees (go figure) and also argues, the assistant now has to leave the game. This rule applies to all coaches on the bench. FYI….if all coaches on the bench are dismissed, you have now forfeited the game.