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2022-23 ATO | WEEK 28

By USA Hockey Officiating Program, 03/10/23, 6:15AM MST

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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.