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Rule 630 | Offside

Rule 630 | Offside

(a) Offside occurs when players of an attacking team precede the puck into the attacking zone. The position of the player’s skates and the position of the puck relative to the blue line are determining factors for an “offside” violation.
     The position of the player’s stick shall not be considered in all instances deciding offside. A player is considered “offside” when the player does not have skate contact with any part of the Neutral Zone or the blue line when the puck crosses the determining edge of the blue line.

(Note) The blue line is always considered to be part of the zone in which the puck is in. Therefore, when the puck is entering the attacking zone, the “determining edge” of the blue line shall be the edge closest to the attacking goal. Therefore, the determination as to whether an “offside” has occurred will only take place at the moment the puck has completely crossed the determining edge into the attacking zone. A player only needs to have skate contact with one skate with the blue line to be considered “onside.”

(b) A player who is actually in control of the puck prior to entering the attacking zone and precedes the puck into the zone is not considered “offside.”
     Offside shall be waived if a player legally carries or passes the puck back into their own Defending Zone while a player of the opposing team is in the Defending Zone.

(c) Any time the puck is carried into the attacking zone creating an offside play, play shall be stopped and a face-off conducted at the nearest neutral zone face-off spot.
     Any time the puck was passed or shot into the attacking zone and creates an offside play, play will be stopped and the face-off will take place at the nearest last play face-off location where the pass or shot originated.
     Any time, in the opinion of the official, a player has created an intentional offside play, play shall be stopped and a face-off conducted at the nearest end zone face-off spot in the defending zone of the offending team.

(Note) An intentional offside is one which is made for the purpose of deliberately securing an immediate stoppage of play or when an offside play is made under conditions where there is no effort made or possibility of completing a legal play.

(d) (For Adults [male and female] and High School classifications only) The Official shall signal a delayed offside if an attacking player proceeds the puck into the Attacking Zone and the delayed offside will be nullified if:
     (1) The puck were to exit the attacking zone.
     (2) All attacking players are simultaneously clear of the attacking zone by making skate contact with the blue line, at the same instant.

If any of the following conditions are met, play shall be stopped and a face-off conducted according to sub-section (c) of this rule:
     (1) An attacking player touches the puck.
     (2) An attacking player attempts to gain possession of the puck or continues to apply pressure to the defending puck carrier.
     (3) The puck is shot directly on goal.

(e) If the official shall have erred in stopping play for an offside infraction, the face-off shall take place at the nearest neutral zone face-off spot to where play was stopped.