2011 RULE CHANGES AND CASEBOOK SITUATIONS

RULE 402 MINOR PENALTIES (Note) (Except for Adults) Affiliates or governing bodies are authorized to reduce the length of minor penalties to no less than one and one-half minutes for games under their jurisdiction where the period length is reduced to 15 minutes or less.

Rule 403D MAJOR PENALTIES (For all Youth, High School and Girls’ Age Classifications) When a player is assessed a major plus misconduct or game misconduct penalty, unless immediate substitution is permitted under the coincidental major penalty Rule 403(c), the penalized team shall immediately place a substitute player on the penalty bench and such player may not be changed

RULE 403D CON’T (For Adult Classifications) When a player is assessed a major plus misconduct or game misconduct penalty, unless immediate substitution is permitted under the coincidental major penalty Rule 403(c), the penalized team shall place a substitute player on the penalty bench before the penalty expires. No other replacement for the penalized player shall be permitted to enter the game except from the penalty bench upon expiration of the penalty. For violation of this rule a bench minor penalty for illegal substitution shall be imposed.

RULE 604A BODY CHECKING Body checking is prohibited in the 12 & under youth age classification and below, all Girls’/Women’s age classifications and in non-check Adult classifications. A local governing body may prohibit body checking in any classification

RULE 604C BODY CHECKING (Note) Non-check hockey does not mean “no contact.” There will be legal body contact (see Glossary) within the rules in non-checking classifications. Legal body contact shall not be penalized under this rule. However, deliberate physical contact with an opponent, with no effort to legally play the puck, shall be penalized.

RULE 604C CASEBOOK What is the USA Hockey interpretation of body contact versus body checking? Is a penalty required every time body contact is made? No. Rule Reference 604(c Note) and Glossary. No check does not mean no contact and the non-check game can be very physical. The Glossary defines both Body Contact and Body Checking, as well as several other educational materials (including videos

BODY CHECKING GLOSSARY Legitimate body checking must be done for the purpose of separating the opponent from the puck, only with the trunk of the body (hips and shoulders) and must be above the opponent’s knees and at or below the shoulders.

BODY CONTACT GLOSSARY Contact that occurs between opponents during the normal process of playing the puck, provided there has been no overt hip, shoulder or arm contact to physically force the opponent off of the puck.

RULE 615C FIGHTING A game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player whose helmet/facemask comes off their head during an altercation. A match penalty shall be assessed to any player who deliberately removes his (or opponent’s) helmet/facemask prior to or during an altercation.

RULE 615C CASEBOOK Opposing players are involved in an altercation and their helmet(s) come off during the altercation. It cannot be determined how the player’s helmets came off. Does this constitute a rule violation? Yes. Rule Reference 615(c). All players are responsible for properly wearing their helmet and facemask at all times. If a players participates in an altercation without their helmet properly worn then they should be assessed a game misconduct penalty along with any other penalties they may have incurred as a result of the altercation

Two players are involved in an altercation and during the altercation one player reaches over and deliberately removes the helmet/facemask of the opponent. What penalty is assessed? A match penalty. Rule Reference 615(c). A match penalty must be assessed to any player who deliberately removes his, or opponent’s, helmet prior to or during an altercation. The Linesmen should be prepared to step in and separate the players as soon as any helmet/facemask has been removed in order to protect the players from serious injury.

RULE 615 C CASEBOOK What constitutes an altercation? Any physical interaction between two or more opposing players where at least one penalty assessed. Rule Reference 615(c, d & e) and Glossary. The Referee has wide latitude in determining penalties to be assessed during an altercation. If the Referee has deemed the physical interaction has escalated to the point where penalties are assessed, those rules that pertain to behavior during an altercation must kick in and those penalties assessed appropriately

RULE 615F FIGHTING Any player who receives a second major penalty for fighting with the same team during the same season shall receive a three game suspension. For a third fighting major with the same team in the same season, the player shall be suspended until a hearing is conducted by the Proper Authorities under Rule 410 Supplementary Discipline.

RULE 620A HEAD CONTACT A minor or major penalty shall be assessed to any player who contacts an opponent in the head, face or neck, including with the stick or any part of the player’s body or equipment

RULE 620A CASEBOOK How much force must be behind a check or other contact to assess a penalty for Head Contact? The only thing that matters is whether there was contact made to the head, face or neck of the opponent with any part of the body or equipment. Rule Reference 620(a). Injury can result with even minimal force when contact is made to the head area. Therefore, USA Hockey is taking a firm stance on any contact to the head area that occurs while delivering a check or making physical contact with an opponent.

RULE 620A CASEBOOK Opposing players have fallen and in the process of getting up, one player makes accidental contact with the head area of the opponent. Must this be penalized as Head Contact? No. Rule Reference 620(a). Unless the Referee has deemed the act to be intentional or reckless, this would not be penalized provided the action was in the normal course of play and there was not excessive force used that could cause injury.

RULE 620B HEAD CONTACT A major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player who injures an opponent as a result of head contact or who intentionally or recklessly contacts an opponent in the head, face of neck.

RULE 620B CASEBOOK A reckless act is when the actions of the player delivering the check clearly do not take into consideration the location on the body of the opponent where the contact is being made and uses excessive force in delivering the check to the head or neck area. As with other dangerous actions, a major plus game misconduct or match penalty must be assessed if an injury results from Head Contact.

RULE 620B CASEBOOK What criteria should the Referee use when assessing a major penalty for head contact? Anytime the Referee deems the contact to the head area to be intentional or a reckless act, a major or match penalty must be assessed. Rule Reference 620(b). Intentional would be deemed to be when the player “targets’ the head or neck area of the opponent when delivering a check

RULE 620B CASEBOOK What degree of force is needed for a match penalty to be assessed for Head Contact? Any check using excessive force for the purpose of intimidating or punishing the opponent that makes direct contact with the head area of the opponent must be assessed as a match penalty. Rule Reference 620(c). The onus is on the player delivering the check not to make contact with the head area of the opponent. When done with excessive force, the player must be held accountable for this dangerous action.

RULE 622B HOLDING A major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to a player who uses his hand to rub, grab or hold the facemask of an opponent

RULE 622B CASEBOOK Opposing players are involved in an altercation and one players uses his glove to push off on the facemask of the opponent. Does this action warrant a major and game misconduct penalty to be assessed for rubbing the facemask? No. Rule Reference 622(b).

RULE 622B CASEBOOK CON’T The spirit and intent of this rule is to strictly penalize those actions that result in a player grabbing or holding the facemask of an opponent. The rubbing portion of this rule is designed to address a “facewash” situation where the player uses the open palm of the glove to disrespect the opponent. However, the push off action may still be penalized as Head Contact or Roughing at the discretion of the Referee.

RULE 622B CASEBOOK What is the difference between normal holding and grabbing the facemask? Grabbing the facemask results in the player having virtual control of the opponent’s head and neck – creating an injury potential situation. Rule Reference 622(b). In this instance, a match penalty must be assessed if the player places his fingers inside the facemask and then twists or pulls. There is no other justification for this action other than to attempt to injure the opponent.

RULE 622C HOLDING A match penalty for attempt to injure or deliberate injury to an opponent may also be assessed for grabbing or holding the facemask

RULE 630D OFFSIDES (For Adults [male and female], High School and Youth/Girls’ 14 & Under Age Classifications and above only) The Official shall signal a delayed off-side if an attacking player proceeds the puck into the Attacking Zone and the delayed off-side will be nullified if:

RULE 630D OFSIDES (1) The puck were to exit the attacking zone. (2) All attacking players are simultaneously clear of the attacking zone by making skate contact with the blue line, at the same instant.

Rule 630D CON’T If any of the following conditions are met, play shall be stopped and a face-off conducted according to sub-section (c) of this rule (3) An attacking player touches the puck. (4) An attacking player attempts to gain possession of the puck or continues to apply pressure to the defending puck carrier. (5) The puck is shot directly on goal.

RULE 630D OFFSIDES CASEBOOK SITUATIONS APPLY FOR ALL CLASIFICATIONS SITUATIONS APPLY FOR YOUTH AND GIRLS 12& UNDER AGE CALSSIFICATIONS AND BELOW SITUATIONS APPLY FOR YOUTH AND GIRLS 14& UNDER AND OLDER

RULE 639 A2 CLIPPING A minor or major penalty shall be assessed to any player who commits the following: Deliberately leaves his feet or lowers his body to make contact with the opponent at or below the knees (Clipping), unless done so for the purpose of blocking a shot.

RULE 639 CASEBOOK Finally, a player who deliberately ducks or leaves his feet for the purpose of contacting an opponent at or below the knees (Clipping) is worthy of a major penalty when the result is the opponent being placed in a vulnerable position.