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The NCAA News -- May 24, 1999

Ice hockey rules committee looks to corral interference

Concerned and frustrated by an increase in interference, contact with the goaltender and diving, the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Rules Committee has adopted the issues as its top priorities for the 1999-00 season.

At its annual meeting May 11-14 in Gold Canyon, Arizona, the committee spent considerable time discussing the pervasiveness of interference, contact with the goaltender and diving within the collegiate game.

Noting that rules already were in place to address interference and contact with the goaltender, the committee unanimously agreed to list the issues as the top two points of emphasis for the 1999-00 season. Slashing/cross-checking and hitting from behind are also points of emphasis.

In addressing diving, the committee adopted a strong stance, voting unanimously that a misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player who attempts to draw a penalty by their actions ("diving").

With regard to interference, the committee adopted the following statement:

"A strict standard of interference must be adhered to in all areas of the rink. Players who impede or seek to impede the progress of opponents by hooking with the stick or holding the stick or any piece of equipment or clothing with the hand or arm must be penalized."

The committee adopted the following language regarding contact with the goaltender:

"It is the responsibility of the attacking player to avoid contact with the goaltender in the privileged area and particularly in the crease."

Mark J. "Mike" Sertich, chair of the committee and head coach at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, said that if interference, contact with the goaltender and diving are to be eliminated from the collegiate game it is imperative that head coaches, commissioners, supervisors of officials, players and officials also address the issue.

"For years, the focus within the game has been on other aspects," Sertich said. "As we've focused on those other issues, which certainly were priorities, interference, contact with the goaltender and diving became a common occurrence.

"It's at the point now where these issues are the biggest problems within the game. Interference and diving have become pervasive. They aren't only accepted, they're being coached.

"Contact with the goalie happens nearly every game. We have rules stating that it's illegal to hit the goalie and yet, during the season you can see instances in which the goalie is hit or interfered with by an opposing player who -- and this is the key -- doesn't make any attempt to avoid contact."

To reduce or eliminate the instances of interference, contact with the goaltender and diving, the committee agreed to make the issues the focus of the 1999-00 rules clinic videotape and to inform all head coaches and directors of athletics at schools sponsoring ice hockey, conference commissioners and supervisors of officials that the committee has adopted a zero-tolerance policy.

In other actions, the committee:

  • Stated for the record its unanimous support of the half-shield for intercollegiate competition. Instructed staff to inform the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports of its position and inquire whether NCAA research moneys are available to study use of the half-shield in select leagues such as the United States Hockey League (USHL) and North American Professional Hockey League (NAPHL).

  • Voted to allow the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) to use the two referee-two linesmen officiating system on an experimental basis in the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons. Noted that the CCHA requested use of the system in approximately 25 conference games each season. Instructed staff to inform the CCHA that if the experimental system is to be used in games with nonconference teams (e.g., the Great Lakes Invitational) that the CCHA must inform such teams not later than September 1 of each academic year.

  • Met with Brian Hart, CCHA supervisor of officials; Brendan Sheehy, Hockey East Association supervisor of officials; and Jack Doherty, president of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association.

    Other highlights

    Men's Ice Hockey Rules Committee
    May 11-14/Gold Canyon, Arizona

    With regard to rules, the committee:

  • Voted that if a team requests an official to measure or check a player's equipment (including mouthguards) and the equipment if found to be legal, the challenging team shall be assessed a bench minor penalty. (Rule 3-7)

  • Determined that an assistant referee can stop play to report or disallow a goal not observed by the referee. (Rule 5-4-c-10)

  • Determined that when a player strikes a puck with a stick above four feet and the puck deflects to a teammate there shall be a stoppage of play and the resulting face-off shall be in the offending player's defensive zone. (Rule 6-18-e)

  • Adopted language stating that officials are encouraged to pay particular attention to a player who instigates or escalates an incident after play is stopped. (Rule 6-19 Note)

  • Revised icing the puck to state that if the puck touches any part of a player of the opposing team or the skates or stick, or touches the goalkeeper or the skates or stick at any time before crossing the goal line extended, it shall not be considered icing the puck and play shall continue. (Rule 6-24-e)

  • Voted to permit shoot-outs as an option for regular-season tournaments only under the following criteria (Rule 6-48):

    (a) Teams play a standard five-minute overtime.

    (b) If the game remains tied, it shall officially be recorded as a tie game.

    (c) Allowed for the purposes of advancement in the tournament.

    (d) Teams participating in the tournament must be given advance notice that the shoot-out option will be used.

  • Revised the game protocol time schedule such that the visiting team shall take the ice for pregame warm-up and intermission 10 seconds after the home team is scheduled to take the ice. The committee noted that in circumstances where the home team doesn't take the ice at its appointed time, the visiting team shall be permitted to take the ice. (Rule 7)