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Ask the Official

USA Hockey's "Ask the Official" question forum for the 2022-23 season has concluded. Best wishes for a safe and relaxing off-season, and we look forward to receiving questions for the 2023-24 Season beginning August 1, 2023.

IMPORTANT NOTEDiscipline, Suspension, and Team Roster related questions cannot be answered at this forum. Please contact your USAH Affiliate for answers to these questions. Contact information is located in the Directory of the USA Hockey Annual Guidebook.

ASK THE OFFICIAL

Over 50 years with USA Hockey, DeGregorio was instrumental in the creation of several landmark programs.

The 73-year-old has been involved with hockey in the Bay State for more than 40 years

Witt has been involved in the Coaching Education Program for almost 30 years

Over 29 seasons, Pecknold guided the Quinnipiac Bobcats from Division III to Division I champions

USA Hockey Restructures Officiating Education Efforts

By USA Hockey 06/06/2023, 11:45am MDT

Brent Seidel Re-Joins USA Hockey Coaching Education Department

2022-23 ATO | WEEK 31

By USA Hockey Officiating Program 03/31/2023, 6:30am MDT

QUESTIONA player was escorted off the ice with one minute left in the game, but he was only given a minor penalty for Roughing. I thought you only escorted a kid off the ice for a game misconduct. Can you escort them off the ice for a minor penalty if there is less than two minutes left in the game?

ANSWER: Occasionally, game officials or coaches will send penalized players directly to the dressing room late in a game if the player’s penalty time outlasts the time remaining in the game. Especially, if they feel the player will become a “target” to opponents after the game, or if they feel the player might continue his poor behavior after the game.

 

QUESTIONTeam A and Team B have non coincidental minor penalties and are playing 4 on 4. Team B has a delayed penalty and team A scores. What happens to the delayed penalty?

ANSWER: If while both teams are playing at even-strength, the non-offending team scores during a delayed (minor) penalty, the delayed minor penalty is recorded (on the scoresheet) but not served. Both minors currently being served are not affected. Play resumes 4 v. 4.

 

QUESTIONDuring the course of play, the goalkeeper loses a glove just before an imminent scoring chance, and the potential for injury is present. Two questions: a) The glove comes off on its own, because of goalie movement. Can the official use discretion to end play? Is it mandated? b) The glove comes off due to contact with an opposing player. Can the official use discretion to end play? Is it mandated? The result of play is a goal on a goalie without a glove.

ANSWER: Situation #1 under Rule 304 in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

“What action should the referee take when the goalkeeper loses one of his gloves during play?

Keeping safety as the primary consideration, the referee should stop play whenever the goalkeeper loses a glove and is in a vulnerable position UNLESS there is an imminent scoring opportunity in which play should be allowed to continue until the imminent scoring opportunity has passed. Rule References 304(a & e).

If the Referee judges the goalkeeper has deliberately removed any equipment during play he should assess the offending goalkeeper a ‘Delay of Game’ minor penalty.”

 

QUESTION: I have safe sport and registered with USA hockey as an ice manager volunteer. Am I able to be on the bench with a coach to open doors.

ANSWERRule 201 in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“Each team shall designate on the scoresheet a Head Coach prior to the start of the game. The Head Coach shall be in control of and responsible for the actions of all team personnel, including players.

A team may have up to four Team Officials on the players’ bench. Only players in uniform and properly rostered Team Officials may occupy the players’ bench."

We recommend reaching out to your Youth Hockey Association and District Registrar for more information regarding your membership and what needs to be done to be able to be on the bench.

 

QUESTIONIn a youth game a player is assessed the following penalties: a major for slashing, a minor for roughing and a minor for unsportsmanlike behavior, a total of nine minutes. The penalties were all called at the early part of a 12-minute period. How many players are placed in the penalty box?

ANSWER: If one player is assessed nine minutes in penalties (a major plus two minors) all at one time, the offending player is removed from the game due to the automatic game misconduct that is assessed with the major penalty. His/her substitute enters the penalty bench, nine minutes are added to the penalty clock, and the teams play 5 v. 4 for the next nine minutes (assuming no other penalties are assessed or goals are scored during the next nine minutes).

 

The USA Hockey Playing Rules are now available as a mobile device app! Check your Apple, Android, or Windows app store to download this playing rule app free of charge.

Check out the USA Hockey mobile-friendly online rulebook application! Enter usahockeyrulebook.com into your mobile device’s web browser to gain instant access to the USA Hockey Playing Rules (must have mobile or internet service).

The USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook and other educational material can be found under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com.

2022-23 ATO | WEEK 30

By USA Hockey Officiating Program 03/24/2023, 6:45am MDT

QUESTIONIs slap shots allowed in the 10U level?

ANSWER: Unlike during previous seasons, there are no longer any rules in the USA Hockey Playing Rules that prohibit slap-shots at any level.

 

QUESTIONIs it still tripping if the player is coming down the wing, gets his/her shot off (without impediment), and then a sliding defender (who was trying to block the shot/poke check the puck) takes the shooter's legs out?

ANSWER: Casebook Situation #3 under Rule 639 in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“A defending player leaves his feet and slides into the puck carrier. The defending player gains possession of the puck and the attacking player falls to the ice after being hit by the defending player’s body. Should a penalty be assessed?

Yes. Rule Reference 639Note 3 & (a).

When a player leaves his feet and slides into an opponent, thereby causing him to fall, a penalty for tripping must be called regardless of who gains possession of the puck. The only exception is when a player drops to his knees to block a shot and his momentum carries him into the player shooting the puck, causing him to fall. In that event, no penalty is to be assessed.”

 

QUESTIONIn a 3 referee game the referees don't see a possible head contact penalty and play continues. The offending team scores a goal, at the stoppage of play the linesman gives his account of what happened. The referees then place the offending payer in the box for 5 mins, is the goal allowed or disallowed.

ANSWER: Casebook Situation #7 under Rule 502 in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

“A Linesman has determined that a major penalty infraction has occurred unseen by the Referee and is waiting for the next stoppage of play to report to the Referee. The next stoppage of play occurs when the offending team scores a goal, whereupon the Linesman reports his version of the infraction. The Referee concurs that a major penalty should be assessed. What procedures does the Referee follow?

Disallow the goal and assess the penalty. Rule References 502(c) and 503(e).

Linesmen cannot stop play, but must wait for the first stoppage of play to report their version of the incident to the Referee.”

 

QUESTIONAre there any training materials for referees on how to recognize a concussion on the ice or any training on concussions at all?

ANSWER: All USA Hockey Officials are required to complete an online video module regarding concussions and player safety every three seasons, and additional information can be found at the Concussion Information webpage at USAHockey.com.

With that being said, officials are not trained medical professionals and they spend no time around the players outside of the game which means they have no behavior baseline to measure symptoms against. Therefore, game officials have extremely limited responsibility with determining whether a player should leave the game. The game officials are required to bring any potential “red flags” they notice to the team bench and the decision regarding removal, treatment and returning rest with the team coaches and parents.

 

QUESTIONTeam B pulls their goalie with a minute left in the game. Team A ices the puck, but it deflects of the goalpost of Team B and crosses the line (not into the net), is icing enforced, or is it waived off?

ANSWERRule 624(a) in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“When a player of a team shoots, bats with the hand or stick or deflects the puck from his own half of the ice completely beyond the goal line of the opposing team, play shall be stopped and a face-off shall take place at an end zone face-off spot in the defending zone of the offending team

(Note) If a team ices the puck during a delayed whistle as a result of a foul committed by the opposing team, the ensuing face-off shall take place at a neutral zone face-off spot nearest the defending zone of the team icing the puck.

However, if the puck has entered the goal as a result of a legal action by the team shooting the puck, the goal shall be allowed.”

Furthermore, Rule 624(b) states,

“Icing shall be nullified if any of the following conditions have been met:

-  (For Adults [male and female], High School and Youth/Girls' 16 and Under age classifications and above only) The offending team is shorthanded (below the on-ice numerical strength of their opponent) when the puck is shot. The determination is made at the time the penalty expires and if the puck was shot prior to the penalty time expiration, regardless as to the position of the penalized player, no icing shall be called.
-  The puck is shot by an attacking player and rebounds off of the body or the stick of a defending player on their defensive half of the center red line.
-  The puck travels the length of the ice as a result of either player participating in a face-off.
-  The puck touches any part, including stick, skates or body, of an opposing player prior to crossing the goal line.
-  If, in the opinion of the Linesman, an opposing player – except the goalkeeper – has an opportunity to play the puck, and has not done so, prior to the puck crossing the goal line.”

 

The USA Hockey Playing Rules are now available as a mobile device app! Check your Apple, Android, or Windows app store to download this playing rule app free of charge.

Check out the USA Hockey mobile-friendly online rulebook application! Enter usahockeyrulebook.com into your mobile device’s web browser to gain instant access to the USA Hockey Playing Rules (must have mobile or internet service).

The USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook and other educational material can be found under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com.

2022-23 ATO | WEEK 29

By USA Hockey Officiating Program 03/17/2023, 6:45am MDT

QUESTIONThe goalie makes contact with an attacking player standing outside the crease, preventing the goalie from making a save. Should a minor penalty for interference be assessed and/or a potential goal be disallowed? (In this situation, the goalie initiates the contact.)

ANSWER: A player cannot be penalized for interference with the goalkeeper if the goalkeeper initiated the contact. Assuming the attacking player was positioned outside the goal crease, that player has every right to the space they occupy, and the goalkeeper is not entitled to initiate any physical contact with him/her.

 

QUESTIONIn Team B's end-zone. Team A forward passes the puck back to the defenseman at the blue line who wasn't there. Puck goes down the ice. Team B forward just coming off the bench is on the ice prior to the puck entering his attacking zone and plays the puck. What is the call?

ANSWERRule 603.b in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“Off-sides shall be waived if a player legally carries or passes the puck back into his own Defending Zone while a player of the opposing team is in the Defending Zone.”

 

QUESTIONWith the opposing goalkeeper in net, a Team A player is fouled from behind (warranting a penalty shot) and a delayed penalty is signaled. The Team A player loses possession of the puck as a result from being fouled from behind and the puck goes into the corner. Before Team B gains possession, the Team B goalkeeper throws his stick at the puck in the corner. Since, by rule, both actions call for a penalty shot (or optional minor), can two penalty shots be awarded to team A in this instance?

ANSWER: Since the “spirit and intent” of a penalty shot is to replace a lost scoring opportunity, only one penalty shot can be awarded in this situation. The other offense would be assessed a minor penalty.

 

QUESTIONCan 10U players ice the puck to kill a penalty and not have it called as an infraction?

ANSWER: Rule 624.b in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

"Icing shall be nullified if any of the following conditions have been met:
 (For Adults [male and female] and High School classifications only) The offending team is shorthanded (below the on-ice numerical strength of their opponent) when the puck is shot. The determination is made at the time the penalty expires and if the puck was shot prior to the penalty time expiration, regardless as to the position of the penalized player, no icing shall be called.
"

These two age groups (Adult & High School) do not include Youth (10U) players.

 

QUESTIONCan a rostered Tier I player play for a Tier II team for a tournament?

ANSWER: Unfortunately, we cannot answer this question since it does not specifically regard the USA Hockey Playing Rules.

We encourage you to contact your District or State Registrar (through your local hockey association) with this question. Registrars are responsible for tracking all team rosters and player eligibility in their respective areas.

 

The USA Hockey Playing Rules are now available as a mobile device app! Check your Apple, Android, or Windows app store to download this playing rule app free of charge.

Check out the USA Hockey mobile-friendly online rulebook application! Enter usahockeyrulebook.com into your mobile device’s web browser to gain instant access to the USA Hockey Playing Rules (must have mobile or internet service).

The USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook and other educational material can be found under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com.

2022-23 ATO | WEEK 28

By USA Hockey Officiating Program 03/10/2023, 6:15am MST

QUESTIONWhen a player is awarded a minor and misconduct, how long is the player in the penalty box? Twelve minutes plus whistle, or ten minutes plus whistle?

ANSWERIf a player receives a Minor and Misconduct penalty he must serve the entire twelve minutes (2+10) consecutively. The additional player his team must place in the box is serving the shorthanded time (not the Minor itself). Since the Minor penalty must be served first (and posted on the penalty clock) the additional player is in the box so their team will have someone available to leave the penalty box and enter the game at the end of the Minor.

If the opposing team scores during the shorthanded Minor penalty time, the Minor is immediately terminated and the Misconduct penalty begins. In other words, the player who received the penalties will be released at the first whistle after ten minutes after the goal.

 

QUESTIONIf the goalie unintentionally displaces the net in the act of making a save, but the displacement of the net allows him to stop a puck that very likely would have been a goal had the net stayed on it's moorings, should this be ruled a goal, save, penalty shot or something else?

ANSWER: Rule 610.e in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

"Play shall be stopped immediately when the goal frame has been displaced from its normal position. A minor penalty shall be assessed to any player (including a goalkeeper) who deliberately displaces the goal frame."

If the net was displaced unintentionally, then no penalty should be assessed.

 

QUESTIONA player is checked, falling to the ice. The player stands up and tracks the player that delivered the initial check 30 - 40 feet into the corner at a high rate of speed and attempts to deliver a forceful check, but misses. Because no contact is made, this is not Charging, but is there another penalty or misconduct that could be applicable?

ANSWER: There is no penalty assessed for missing a body check. Unless the player violated USAH Rule 601, we see no violation that would constitute a penalty.

 

QUESTIONA goalie looses his stick and is handed a player's stick by a teammate. A few seconds later the forward with no stick picked up the goalie stick to return to the goalie but enters play, after a failed kick of the puck he plays the puck with the goalie stick. Does this scenario result in a penalty under violation of rule 301(c) for "illegal equipment" as the goalie stick exceeds the player stick max measurements?

ANSWER: A player may not participate in play while in possession of a Goalkeeper Stick due to the fact that the Goalkeeper Stick does not conform to the legal dimensions of a Player Stick as outlined in USAH Rule 301.b.

 

QUESTIONDoes this NHL rule also apply to USA Hockey games? In a situation where there is less than five minutes remaining in play, should unequal simultaneous penalties be assessed , then instead of both sides serving their full times, the minor penalty is cancelled and its time subtracted from the major penalty, which is then assessed against that team.

ANSWER: No, the USA Hockey Playing Rules do not include that rule at any level.

 

The USA Hockey Playing Rules are now available as a mobile device app! Check your Apple, Android, or Windows app store to download this playing rule app free of charge.

Check out the USA Hockey mobile-friendly online rulebook application! Enter usahockeyrulebook.com into your mobile device’s web browser to gain instant access to the USA Hockey Playing Rules (must have mobile or internet service).

The USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook and other educational material can be found under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com.

2022-23 ATO | WEEK 27

By USA Hockey Officiating Program 03/03/2023, 6:45am MST

QUESTION: If a goalkeeper who is standing with his skate against the inside of the post ("hugging the post") uses his stick to freeze the puck between his stick, his skate blade, and the post, should a penalty be assessed?

ANSWER: In general, a goalkeeper is only allowed to cover the puck while in the “act of playing goal”. The determination as to whether a Delay of Game penalty must be assessed will be based on the location of the puck in relation to the goal-post and whether there are attacking players near the puck. A puck that is right next to the post or located a few inches behind the post would not likely qualify for a Delay of Game penalty. However, if the puck is located several inches behind the post, one could argue there is no immediate scoring opportunity and therefore the goalkeeper should be penalized if he/she covers the puck.

Additionally, a goalkeeper cannot cover a puck if there are no attacking players near the puck, regardless of where the puck is located.

 

 

QUESTIONIf the puck is sitting on the top or back of the goal netting and the goalkeeper covers it with his glove while part of his body is in the crease, should a penalty be assessed?

ANSWER: Rule 631.b in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

"Play shall be stopped immediately if the puck comes to rest in the netting on top of the goal frame.

Play shall be stopped and deemed unplayable if the puck becomes lodged in the netting outside of either goal and neither team is able to dislodge the puck within three seconds."

However, a minor penalty for delay of game should be assessed to a goalkeeper who freezes the puck while located on the back-netting of the goal. This action is not considered in the "act of playing goal".

 

QUESTIONDoes contact have to be made for a Charging penalty to be called? The player takes more than two strides and covers a good distance but his opponent falls before the check, and the player completely misses the hit, falling into the boards himself.

ANSWER: Under the USA Hockey Playing Rules interpretations, contact must be made for a Charging infraction to occur. This is different than other infractions (Spearing, Kicking, etc.).

 

QUESTIONIf an offensive player’s stick is in motion to flip the puck into the net and an opponent’s stick comes between the offensive players stick and the puck, is it still a goal when the puck goes in the net even though it was flipped in by both sticks?

ANSWERRule 617(b) in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“A goal shall be legally scored if:

-  The puck has been propelled into the goal by the stick of an attacking player provided it was done in accordance with Rule 621 High Sticks.
-  The puck enters the goal as a result of any action by the defending team.”

 

QUESTIONQuestion is on a scoresheet, a team lists 3 goalies, makes no scratches. Game ends. What's the ruling? I know rule 201 only allows 2 goalies & 18 skaters. For full clarity, the team only dressed 1 goalie.

ANSWERRule 201(a) in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“A team must start a game with a minimum of six players. Any time that a team has been reduced to less than four players, the game shall be declared a forfeit.

A maximum of 20 players, in which not more than 18 are skaters, shall be permitted to play in the game.”

A team may list three goalkeepers on their game roster provided they do not have more than 20 total participants.

 

The USA Hockey Playing Rules are now available as a mobile device app! Check your Apple, Android, or Windows app store to download this playing rule app free of charge.

Check out the USA Hockey mobile-friendly online rulebook application! Enter usahockeyrulebook.com into your mobile device’s web browser to gain instant access to the USA Hockey Playing Rules (must have mobile or internet service).

The USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook and other educational material can be found under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com.

  • 2022-23 ATO | WEEK 11

  • By USA Hockey Officiating Program 11/11/2022, 6:15am MST
  • THIS WEEK: High-Sticking...serving goalkeeper penalties...equipment...and more.
  • Read More