Situation 1
What guidelines should be followed in allowing a player to catch the puck and immediately drop it?
The motion of catching, then dropping the puck, must be virtually one continuous motion. Rule Reference 618(a).
Provided the player catches the puck and drops it to his stick in one continuous motion, play should be allowed to continue.
However, if he holds the puck for any length of time, takes one or two strides with the puck, throws the puck to an area away from his stick or fakes the drop to avoid an opposing player, play shall be stopped and a last play face-off occurs.
Situation 2
The puck is batted forward with the hand, hits the shaft of the stick of the player batting the puck, then goes directly into the opposing goal. Does the goal count?
No. Rule Reference 618(a).
The deflection off the stick does not alter the fact that the puck was propelled into the goal by the hand.
Situation 3
What are the guidelines when determining the legality of a Defending Zone hand pass?
The hand pass must be initiated and completed in the Defending Zone. Rule Reference 618(b).
The location of the puck is the determining factor and the blue line is considered to be part of the Defending Zone in this instance.
Situation 4
The puck is batted with the hand by a player in his Attacking Zone, hits an opposing player or goalkeeper, then rebounds back out and is picked up by another player of the team that batted the puck. Should the Referee stop play or allow it to continue?
He shall stop play. Rule Reference 618(b).
An opposing player must have at least momentary possession and control of a hand-batted puck, otherwise it is still considered to be a hand pass. In this case the puck was, in effect, batted by hand to a teammate, and play should be stopped as soon as the teammate plays the puck.
Situation 5
The puck is batted with the hand and deflects off the goalkeeper directly back to the attacking player who batted it. Should the Referee stop play?
No. Rule Reference 618(b).
In this situation the attacking player, in effect, hand-batted the puck to himself, because the goalkeeper did not gain possession and control of the puck. A goal scored legally with his stick immediately following this type of action would be allowed.
Situation 6
The puck is batted with the hand, hits the body of a teammate, then is picked up by an opposing player. Should play be stopped?
No. Rule Reference 618(b).
The play shall not be stopped unless the teammate plays the puck. The fact that the puck deflects off him does not constitute possession of the puck
Situation 7
With the puck in the Neutral Zone, it is batted with the hand backwards to a teammate who is in his Defending Zone. When the player in the Defending Zone gains possession and control of the puck, play is stopped. Where is the ensuing face-off?
At the place where the puck was played by the teammate. Rule Reference 618(b).
On a forward hand pass, the ensuing face-off takes place where the puck was batted. On a backward hand pass, the ensuing face-off takes place where the puck was next played. Using this procedure, the offending team never gains a territorial advantage for a hand pass infraction.
Situation 8
Is the goalkeeper included under the rule which permits a hand pass that occurs totally in the Defending Zone, even if the hand pass is in a “forward” direction?
Yes. Rule References 618(b and c).
While the goalkeeper is NOT permitted to “throw” the puck forward (i.e. catching the puck in their glove, closing their hand and then propelling it to a teammate), the normal hand pass criteria would also apply to the goalkeeper. A hand pass occurs with the front or back of an open hand and the puck is simply batted in a desired direction.
Situation 9
Is a goalkeeper permitted to catch the puck and throw it (to the side or rear) directly to a teammate, who gains immediate possession, without incurring a stoppage of play?
Yes. Rule Reference 618(c).
The puck may not be caught and then hand-directed to a teammate by a “player,” but the intent is to exclude the goalkeeper from this restriction provided the puck is not thrown “forward.” “Forward” is considered to be anywhere in between two imaginary lines, one at each goal post, extending to the nearest end zone face-off spot.
