Welcome to our Rule/Situation(s) of Week!

Welcome back! This week’s column will feature a few situations were an appeal is lodged at the referee by a team for an improper starting line-up from the other team. It is important to know that this is an appeal play and therefore must be brought to the referee by the opposing team in order to be assessed. Also, this appeal must take place during the first stoppage of play of the game and once the puck as been dropped following this stoppage, no more appeal will be accepted by the referees.

Rule 7.2 (Starting Line-Up) states:Violation - For an infraction of this rule, a bench minor penalty shall be imposed upon the offending team, provided such infraction is called to the attention of the Referee before the second face-off in the first period takes place. This is an appeal play and must be brought to the Referee’s attention prior to the second face-off in the game.

SITUATION #1

At the first stoppage of play of the first period, Team A’s coach challenge the starting line-up of Team B. After verification, it is determined that Team B had in fact the wrong players on the ice to start the game. Is this a penalty?

ANSWER

Yes. Team B shall be assessed a bench minor penalty for having an improper starting line-up. Rule 7.2

SITUATION #2

Team A scores on the first shift of the game. Team B notifies the Referee that Team A has the wrong starting goalkeeper in play. What does the Referee do?

ANSWER

The goal shall be allowed and a bench minor penalty assessed to Team A for having an improper starting line-up. Rule 7.2

SITUATION #3

At the first stoppage of play of the game (where no goal was scored), Team B calls a Referee over and challenges Team A's starting line-up. After verification by the officials, it is determined that Team A had the right starting players on the ice to start the game. Is Team B assessed any penalty for an unsustained appeal?

ANSWER

No. There is no penalty to the requesting team if their appeal is unsustained. Rule 7.2

Rule 7.2 (Starting Line-Up) also states:The determining factor when considering whether or not a player or goalkeeper is listed in the starting line-up is that the player or goalkeeper’s name, and not necessarily the player or goalkeeper’s number, must be correctly listed by the Manager or Coach of that team.

SITUATION #4

At the first stoppage of play Team B challenges Team A’ starting line-up. The Referee checks his starting line-up sheet and finds the player’s name correct, however his number was incorrectly listed on the starting line-up. What is the rule interpretation?

ANSWER

The determining factor in this situation would be the correct player’s name. If the correct player is listed, as stated in the rules, the listing of a wrong number is not the determining factor and no penalty would apply.

SITUATION #5

We drop the puck to start the game. Team A goes down the ice and scores a goal. Before we can drop the puck to start again, Team B challenges Team A's starting line-up. We check the line-up and realize that the Team A goalkeeper is not even listed on the line-up sheet. What is the call?

ANSWER

The goalkeeper is removed from the game and Team A's goal is disallowed. Team A is also assessed a bench minor penalty. This is a tricky one! Not only Team A had an improper starting line-up but they also had an illegible player, as their goalkeeper was not even listed on the line-up sheet. The goal is disallowed due to the fact that it was scored while they had an illegible player on the ice (Rule 5.2) and the minor penalty for having an improper stating line-up is also assessed as per rule 7.2.

See you next Monday!

Every Monday during the regular season schedule, we will explain in this column some bizarre or uncommon game situations/rules. Hockey is a particular game when it comes to the rulebook. Hockey officials need to know their rules but more important they have to know the interpretation and application of them! We will see in the next several months, in this series of articles, that a rule hassometimes two different applications depending on the situation that occurred on the ice. This is not theofficialsdeciding on the outcome of the gameshere, by deciding to apply or not the rule, but is rather the interpretation and the application of that rule along with itsintent that dictatesthe final decision made by the officials on the ice! This is not a column to promote or defend our officials but rather an educational tool for all hockey fans and hockey officials to acquire a better understanding of the game of hockey! So let’s start to see if you know your NHL rules! Wewill help you better understand some decisions made by NHL officials some nights and hopefully making you better “couch” referee!