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)
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