January 31, 2004

By: Ashton Kapa
Website: http://www./

Optimizing playing time and minimizing risk emphasized at ice hockey rules meeting

Optimizing playing time to create additional participation opportunities and minimizing risk were two of the main emphases at the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Committee meeting April 27-28 in Indianapolis. In all, 21 rules were revised.

As a means of creating faster line changes and faster faceoff procedures, five rules were modified, all of which emanate from Rule 2-5-d. That particular rule was revised to change the line-change procedures and faceoffs to support implementation of a quick or 15-Second faceoff. With this change, After any stoppage of play, the visiting team shall promptly place a lineup on the ice ready for play, and substitutes shall be made by the visiting team until the referee signals the home team for its last change. Once the line change has been completed, the official conducting the faceoff will blow his or her whistle and drop the puck within five seconds. Other rules that were impacted by this revision and accordingly revised were Rules 2-4a, 6-2-a, 6-9-d and 6-12-a.

As a means of speeding up the game during goalie substitutions, four rules were revised. Eliminated from Rule 2-5-d was a section that formerly allowed goalkeepers entering the game to receive a one-minute warm-up. This revision now makes the high school rule consistent with the USA Hockey and NCAA rules. Similar revisions regarding goalie substitutions were made to Rules 2-6-c, 2-6-e and 2-5-e.

Rule 6-37-b was revised to state that, By state association adoption, procedure may be adopted whereby schools may play up to a 17-minute period.

After the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s successful two-year experiment with the 17-minute period, the state coaches association requested use of such during regular-season contests, said Ray Streicher, NFHS Ice Rules Committee chairman. The committee felt that this change would help create additional participation opportunities for high school ice hockey players.

As a means of further minimizing risk in the game, the committee added the words, or goalkeeper to the two player references in Rule 6-5-a that address playing with a broken stick.

Since playing with a broken stick is a risk minimization concern, the committee felt that goalkeepers should not be allowed to play with one either, said John Gillis, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Committee.

As a means of clarifying which player serves a penalty, the words, Captain’s choice of players was added to Rules 1-9-c, 2-3-c and 2-4-c. This will stay in line with similar types of penalties where it is also Captain’s choice, Streicher said.

In addition to stipulating the materials from which sticks may be made (wood, wood and aluminum, or other materials approved by the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Committee), Rule 3-1-a was modified to state that the end of a hollow stick must be fully covered.

Rule 6-1-a, which addresses various examples of unsportsmanlike conduct that will not be tolerated in the game of ice hockey, was amended to include intentionally spraying (causing ice to fly from the skates) a goaltender in that listing of unsportsmanslike actions.

In an effort to be consistent with other NFHS sports, Rules 2-1-b now states that “A commemorative/memorial patch not to exceed four square inches may be worn on the jersey provided it is not a number and is in an appropriate location that does not interfere with the captain’s identification or the player’s number.

According to the 2002 High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS, ice hockey is played by 34,652 boys in 1,395 high schools. In addition, 6,442 girls play ice hockey in 372 high schools.

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Ashton Kapa is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www./.  Find hockey apparel, bags, gloves, gear, sticks, skates, training aids and much more.