The NCAA News - News & Features

Ice hockey committee gets tough on mouthguard rule

The committee, meeting May 7-10 in Kansas City, Missouri, voted to crack down on players who do not wear the mandatory protective mouthguard.

Beginning with the 1996-97 season, an offending player will receive a misconduct penalty and be replaced on the ice for an initial violation of the rule. For a second violation by the same player in the same game, a game misconduct penalty will be assessed.

Last year, all players, including goalkeepers, were required to wear an internal mouthguard that covers all the remaining teeth of one jaw. Any player who was found not wearing a mouthguard on the ice was issued only a warning by the referee. The player then was ordered to the players' bench and not allowed to reenter the game until the next stoppage of play.

The committee is particularly alarmed that it appears the vast majority of college hockey players did not wear a mouthguard last season. To make matters worse, most officials apparently ignored the rule because it lacked a serious penalty.

"The committee is very concerned about player safety, especially with the increase in concussions in college hockey," said Sidney J. Watson, director of athletics at Bowdoin College and chair of the rules committee. "There must be stricter enforcement of this rule by all officials, and we expect players, coaches and administrators to adjust accordingly. Hopefully, this will help decrease the number of concussion injuries in the future."

Watson also expressed concern that some players trim the mouthguard so that it covers only one-third of the teeth of one jaw. The committee added language to the rule so that "the mouthguard shall not be altered from original manufacturer specifications, except with the prescription of a medical authority."

Since 1990, data from the NCAA Injury Surveillance System has indicated that the concussion injury rate in games has doubled. While the committee is not sure if the increase is due to more concussions or better reporting practices, it is not taking any chances.

It is clear from injury data, however, that most game injuries occur deep in the offensive or defensive zones, from the face-off dots to the end boards. It also is evident that more than one-half of the injuries occur from contact with another player or contact with the boards or glass.

Thus, the committee voted to increase the penalty for hitting from behind into the end boards, side boards or goal cage from a major penalty to a major and game-misconduct penalty.

New officiating system

In another major change, the committee voted to eliminate the "one-referee, two-linesmen" officiating system and replace it with a "three-man" officiating system.

The new system consists of a referee and two assistant referees, both of whom can call penalties at certain points on the ice.

As in the past, the referee shall have general supervision of the game and full control of game officials from the time both teams exit their dressing rooms for warm-ups until both teams have entered their dressing rooms following the contest. The referee also will handle all face-offs at the center ice face-off spot.

The assistant referees' main responsibilities are to enforce icing and offsides, as well as to administer all face-offs not conducted at the center ice face-off spot. The assistant referees also, depending on the position of the puck, shall stop play and report to the referee any infraction constituting a minor, bench minor, major, misconduct, disqualification or game-misconduct penalty that occurs and is not observed by the referee. The referee shall signal and assess a penalty for the particular infraction.

For example, when the puck is deep in the offensive zone, the referee usually will be stationed at or close to the goal line. The referee can call penalties anywhere on the ice at any time. The lead assistant referee, stationed at the blue line, will be responsible only for line calls, and cannot call penalties in the offensive zone. The trailing assistant referee can stop play to call penalties in the offensive zone that are not observed by the referee.

"The three-man referee system gives the coaches just what they want -- better ice coverage to call penalties with consistency, and better coverage of the lines for offsides and icing calls," Watson said.

Other Highlights -- Men's Ice Hockey Rules Committee

May 7-10/Kansas City, Missouri

* Voted to allow instant replay to be used in tournament competition (regular-season and postseason tournaments) only at the request of the referee. A replay must be conclusive for an instant-replay official to overturn an on-ice official's call. One of the following criteria must be met for the referee to request a replay: a puck crossing the goal line; a puck in the net before the goal frame is dislodged; a puck in the net before or after expiration of time at the end of a period; a puck directed into the net by a hand or foot; a puck deflected into the net by an official; a puck hit into the net by a high stick; for determination of whether a fight occurred and those individuals who participated in a fight; or establishment of the correct time on the game clock.

* Cited ethical behavior, respect for the opponent, hitting from behind, holding the stick and interference (picking) as the points of emphasis for 1996-97.

* Clarified Rule 1-3-a so that only two goal cages are permitted on the ice during the pregame warm-up period and the game.

* Added a note to Rule 2-3-a so that if one of a team's goaltenders sustains an incapacitating injury or, because of extenuating circumstances, is not able to suit up, no bench minor penalty shall be called against that team at the start of the game.

* Revised Rule 2-5-d so that a penalized player or his immediate substitute, when returning to the ice from the penalty bench or players' bench, shall be eligible to play the puck.

* Increased the maximum length of the hockey stick (Rule 3-1-b) from 60 to 63 inches.

* Added language to Rule 3-6 requiring host institutions to provide all pregame warm-up and game pucks.

* Revised Rule 4-5-a (Disqualification Penalties) and Rule 4-4-b (Game Misconduct Penalties) so that the offending player "may not go to the penalty bench and may not, for the duration of the penalty and the game, occupy any area designated or reserved for players, and may not communicate or contact team personnel in any manner until the contest is completed." In Rule 4-4-b, the committee also added a provision that a trainer cannot be assessed a game-misconduct penalty.