In article <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] writes:
>How about this?  A player is lurking at the opponent's blue line hoping for a
>break and a teammate wraps a pass to him around the boards from behind his own
>goal.  Technically, this is a two line pass and should be offsides.  However,
>I have never seen it called.
>
>On the same thread, what if you wrap the puck around the boards behind your
>own net to a teammate who is beyond the blue line.  Is this a two line (3-line
>:-)) pass and offside, or is in onside since you are only one line away from
>your teammate?
 
Well, I'll give you the short of it...  since this is the college hockey
list, and we generally follow the NCAA playing rules, then the simple answer
to your question is nothing will be called in any case, since there is
no "2-line pass rule" in either college hockey, or within most levels of
USA Hockey.  Of course, offsides at the attacking blue line is always
applicable, so if a player receives a pass inside the attacking zone (both
skates over the blue line) when the puck came from outside the zone, then
an offside pass is the call.
 
In the AHL, NHL, and other high levels of hockey, 2-line passes are called,
though the term is properly known as "offside pass at the red line".  If
you want the explanation, let me know.  However, in your second example
above, with the wraparound, that is definitely _not_ 3 lines.  You don't
simply count how many lines the puck passes over.  You need to think of
the ZONES which the puck goes thru.  Again, if anyone wants more explanation,
I'll be glad to give it...   but remember that red-line offsides is not
applicable for college hockey.
 
Actually, since I've got it right here, I'll type in verbatim the explanation
of Offside Passes (red-line) as given in the USA Hockey Officiating Manual.
 
"An offside pass occurs when a defending player passes the puck from his
Defending Zone to a teammate who is beyond the center red line.  Contrary
to common belief, a pass is not offside just because it crosses two lines.
There is no such thing as a 'Two Line Pass Violation'.  The only lines that
are involved in an 'Offside Pass' are the defending blue line of the team in
possession of the puck and the center red line.  It is the point at which the
puck leaves the stick that determines the origin of the pass, and it is the
position of the skates of the player receiving the pass that determines
whether or not he is onside.  As long as the puck precedes the receiving
player over the center red line, the pass is considered legal."
 
Hope that clears things up.             -- kennyz
 
--
Kenny Zalewski -- Computer Science Department; Intramural Department
Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, 83 Albright Court, Troy, NY, 12180
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