The Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Rules Committee recently identified several points of emphasis for the 2009-10 season and approved two experimental rules to be allowed in exhibition games at its annual meeting.

The committee also discussed several items that could become rules changes in the summer of 2010, including eliminating ties.

Rules change proposals are entertained only once every two years, and this is an “off” year. In assessing the rules, the committee evaluates changes that would encourage the speed, skill and integrity of the game; encourage more scoring chances (but not necessarily more goals); eliminate whistles; and encourage continuous action.

With those principles in mind, the committee identified the following points of emphasis for the upcoming season:

• Contact after the whistle. The committee believes altercations after the whistle are a growing and disturbing trend and that any contact to the head after a whistle tends to escalate altercations. After reviewing numerous situations, the committee expressed its concern about student-athlete safety as well as the negative effect on the game’s image. The committee believes a cultural shift is needed and will instruct officials to strictly enforce these types of penalties when violations occur. 
• Facewashing. The committee clarified that “facewashing” is considered grasping the facemask, which is a violation of Rule 6-14-a. To provide officials with further guidance the committee instructed officials to follow these guidelines:
  • Placing an open hand on the facemask of an opposing player should be penalized with a minor penalty.
  • Pushing with an open hand on an opposing player’s facemask, grabbing the facemask or moving an open hand back and forth on an opposing player’s facemask should be penalized with a major penalty. 
  • Grasping the facemask and either pulling or twisting is considered an aggressive and potentially dangerous tactic. It may be penalized as excessive roughness, which carries a disqualification.

Additionally, when altercations occur, the committee noted that players must respect and follow the direction of game officials. Players must not resist an official or persist in continuing an altercation after the player has been ordered to stop. Rule 6-1-l calls for a misconduct, game misconduct or disqualification at the referee’s discretion in such cases.

• Standard of enforcement/protection of the puck carrier. As all levels of NCAA ice hockey enter the second season with the two-referee system, the expectation of overall enforcement is higher. The committee believes that referees should be comfortable with the mechanics and positioning of the system. As a reminder, officials are instructed to call fouls when the puck carrier’s hands or arms are impeded by the use of a stick or free hand. The puck carrier is not required to fight through such actions. Consistent enforcement of all restraining and impeding fouls must continue.
• Hitting From behind.The committee continues to emphasize strict enforcement of this penalty and reaffirms that responsibility remains with the player delivering the contact. A major penalty must be assessed when this foul occurs into the boards or goal cage. The committee understands that, in some cases, a player will be penalized for an unintentional hit, but student-athlete safety is the overriding concern.

The committee also will allow experimentation with hybrid icing and hand passes in all zones in exhibition games only or (on a limited basis if approved by the committee) by conference request.

The hybrid-icing rule would protect student-athlete safety but also add an element of touch-up icing to the game. In the proposed model, the official would determine which player will reach the puck first, using faceoff dots as a reference point. If it is determined to be the attacking player, icing is waved off. If it is the defending player, icing is blown when the puck crosses the goal line. A tie goes to the defender.

The committee also discussed the following items for consideration in the next rules cycle:

• Reducing or eliminating ties. The committee believes a change is in the best interests of the game and voted to implement changes at its June 2010 meeting to either reduce or eliminate tie games. The committee will collect and consider all written proposals from the membership.
• Puck shot directly out of play.When the puck is shot directly out of play from the defensive zone, the committee is considering conducting the faceoff in the non-offending team’s attacking zone without a change of players allowed. The committee does not currently believe a penalty is warranted for such action; at the moment, a team that does this would be allowed to change players.
• Shot that hits the post and goes out of play – faceoff location. Currently, because the attacking team last touched the puck, a shot that hits the post and goes out of play comes outside of the zone. The committee is considering keeping this faceoff in the attacking zone.
• Timeout during situations where players are not allowed to change. Currently, if a team calls a timeout during a situation where, by rule, it is not allowed to change its players, the rule remains in place. Some coaches have asked why they are not allowed to change players since only one timeout is allowed per game. The NCAA rule is currently consistent with NHL rules.
• Icing the puck during shorthanded situations. The committee is considering implementing a rule change that would not allow shorthanded teams to ice the puck.
• Delayed penalty administration. In this proposal, when a penalty is called on a team in its defensive zone, the offending team must clear the puck out of its defensive zone before play is stopped.
• Leaving the feet to play the puck. This proposal deals with defensive players diving or sliding to block shots or passes. A minor penalty would be imposed for a violation.

Any rules changes in these areas will not be implemented until the 2010-11 season. The committee will welcome any membership feedback, particularly concerning rules for future consideration.