1. Rule of the Week - Freezeing the puck
2. Issue of the Week- Faceoff's
3. REF Focus- whistel before the faceoff
RULE OF THE WEEK:
An issue was brought up... Can the goalie freeze the puck outside the crease.
Rule 60.2
If a goalkeeper comes out of his crease to “cut down the angle” on a shot and after making the save covers the puck, this shall be legal. If the goalkeeper races out of his crease in an attempt to beat the attacking player to the puck and instead of playing the puck jumps on the puck causing a stoppage of play, this shall be a minor penalty for delay of game.
A delay of game will also be assessed on a goalie who freezes the puck behind the net and no part of his body is in the crease.
ISSUE OF THE WEEK:
I have noticed that the issues of where to conduct a faceoff when the puck goes out of play. Since in AAU inline hockey there is NO natural zone. When the puck is put out of play by the attacking team (including going off the goal posts) the faceoff is to be conducted in the center faceoff dot. Rule 73 and 80 also layout faceoff procedure for when the "last play face off spot" is to be used.
73.2 Face-off Locations -
All face-offs must be conducted on one of the five (5) recognized face-off spots located on the rink or along one of two imaginary lines connecting the end-zone face-off spots (known as the “last-play face-off spot”), drawn perpendicular to the goal lines. When a stoppage of play has been caused by any player of the attacking side in the attacking zone, the ensuing face-off shall be made at the center face-off spot.
When a stoppage of play has been caused by any player of the attacking side in the attacking zone, the ensuing face-off shall be made at the center face-off spot. When the play is stopped for any reason not specifically attributable to either team, the ensuing face-off shall be conducted at the nearest last-play face-off spot.
80.1 Puck Out of Bounds -
When a puck goes outside the playing area at either end or either side of the rink, strikes any obstacles above the playing surface other than the boards or glass (such as any flags, banners, or spectator netting), or causes the glass, lighting, timing device, or the supports to break, it shall be faced-off at the nearest last-play face-off spot, except when the attacking team in the attacking zone is responsible for causing the puck to go out of play, the ensuing face-off shall take place at the center face-off spot.
When the puck is shot and it makes contact with the gloves or the body of a player hanging over the players’ bench, or if the puck enters the players’ bench through an open bench door, the face-off shall take place at the nearest last-play face-off spot.
For a puck that is unplayable due to being lodged in the netting or as a result of it being frozen between opposing players, the resulting face-off shall be at either of the adjacent face-off spots unless in the opinion of the Referee, the stoppage was caused by the attacking team, in which case the resulting face-off shall be conducted at the center face-off spot.
REF FOCUS:
Please remember to single with your whistle 5 seconds before you drop the puck.
Whistle
73.3 Procedure -
As soon as the line change procedure has been completed by the Referee and he lowers his hand to indicate no further changes, the Referee conducting the face-off shall blow his whistle. This will signal to both teams that they have no more than five (5) seconds to line up for the ensuing face-off. At the end of the five (5) seconds (or sooner if both centers are ready), the Referee will conduct a proper face-off.
