Ralph Bear was curious as to the events in the second Harvard-RPI game
that warranted a penalty against Michel Briestroff for playing without
a helmet.
 
I was doing play-by-play for WRPI, so I would have seen a helmet on the
ice.  I did not.  Neither did Jayson, and the play was in the other end near
the corner, so we could not lose track of a helmet.  What we believed
happened was that Briestroff's CHIN STRAP came undone.
 
Here's the relevant rule:
 
Rule 3 Section 4 (b)
 
  It is compulsory for all players, including goalkeepers, to wear ice hockey
  helmets with chin straps securely fastened.  Football helmets may not be
  worn.  A player, excluding goalkeepers, whose helmet and/or face mask has
  come off during play, must replace the helmet and/or face mask immediately
  or go to the players' bench.  A player not conforming to this rule shall
  be assessed a minor penalty.  If a goalkeeper's mask and/or helmet is
  displaced, there shall be an immediate whistle.
 
Technically, if the chin strap is not securely fastened, the helmet has come
off.  After Briestroff went to the box, he could be seen fiddling with the
strap, so apparently that was the problem.
 
In the NHL and AHL (I'd assume IHL as well), you can continue to play without
the helmet.  In U.S. college you cannot.
 
What happens if you get into a scrum while trying to get back to the bench?
Well, as long as you continue trying to get to the bench, you're OK.  Expect
problems if you stay in the scrum.
 
This rule does pose a problem, which occurred in the Vermont-RPI game at
Gutterson last season.  A Catamount lost his helmet while in the corner
to the right of the Vermont bench (directly below WRPI, which is why I
saw this play so well).  He skated directly towards his bench, and the direct
route was along the boards.  Just shy of the blue line he was smacked hard
into the boards by an Engineer, I'm not sure who, but I'd bet Kelly Askew.
One of the Vermont assistant coaches was screaming his lungs out at the
referee asking for a call.  I agreed, thinking the Engineer should have gotten
a disqualification for attempting to injure.  No call was made, but for the
rule to be a good one, you must protect the player skating off the ice without
a helmet.  Fortunately, players don't lose their helmets that often.
 
Kurt Stutt
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