The Atlantic District is planning to hold two Level 1 & 2 Officiating Seminars during the last weekend in March. New and returning participants may attend one of these seminars as part of the process to become USA Hockey-registered officials for the current (2009-2010) season.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mike McDevitt, the Atlantic District Evaluation Program Coordinator, said the following:

I would like to remind all registered USA Hockey officials to email me if they would like an evaluation. I will put them in contact with an Atlantic District Supervisor in their area, to perform an in-person written evaluation with them.

The USA Hockey Evaluation Program is designed as an educational tool to assist all officials. The evaluation process will provide instructional follow-up which reinforces the information presented at USA Hockey seminars and is outlined in the officiating manuals. The evaluator is there as an officiating 'coach' to help the individual on-ice official improve his/her game.

Mike's email address is mcdevittmike [at] hotmail.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Congratulations to the following Atlantic District officials who were recently named to the staff of prestigious international hockey tournaments by the IIHF:

• Meg Hishmeh- Winter Olympics Games, Vancouver
• Leah Wrazidlo- Winter Olympic Games, Vancouver
• Andrea Weissman- U18 World Championship- USA Chicago
• Kate Connolly- Qwest Olympic Tour- Madison, WI
• Dave Brown- Men’s IIHF World Championship- Germany
• Paul Carnathan- U20 IIHF World Championship- Canada

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda wrote, "I am sorry to report that Paul Puchalik has passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was a former on-ice official, the rink manager at Lawrenceville, the Commissioner of the Mid-Atlantic Women's Hockey Association and a Vice-President of the Atlantic District."

The viewing is Sunday, November 22, 2009 between 2:00 and 6:00 pm at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vanderventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, November 23 at 10:00 AM at St. David the King Catholic Church, Village Road, West Windsor, NJ.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to American Cancer Society and/or the Lawrence Flames Scholarship Fund.

Obituaries: Trenton Times

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda asked that the following interpretation from USA Hockey be posted immediately on AAHArefs.

The important new information is shown below in bold print:

The 2009 rule change to Rule 403 & 405 and its interpretation:

For a player that is assessed a non-coincident major penalty and game misconduct (or a non-coincident match penalty in the case of Rule 405), the offending team is not required to immediately place a substitute on the penalty bench and may do so prior to the expiration of the penalty. No player may enter the game except from the penalty bench with a bench minor penalty being assessed for a violation.

... will apply only to situations where players receive a Match penalty or a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct (or are injured). So if a player receives a Major plus Game Misconduct for checking from behind, he is removed from the game and his team may wait to put a substitute player in the penalty box. The substitute may enter the box at any stoppage during the Major penalty.

The substitute player may only enter the box by way of the ice and only during a stoppage. Any substitution made outside these guidelines shall be penalized for Illegal Substitution.

If the team does not place a substitute player in the penalty box by the expiration of the Major penalty they must continue to play short-handed until the next stoppage of play. Once play has been stopped, they may place five players on the ice for the ensuing faceoff (there is NO additional penalty given at this point). If they send a player onto the ice before the next stoppage, they shall be penalized for Illegal Substitution. At this time, the icing rule is in effect even though they are still shorthanded.

This rule does not apply to any goalkeeper penalties, penalty situations that include Minor penalties (2+5+GM), or penalty situations that include Major plus Misconducts (5+10). In these situations, player substitutions must be made immediately.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda reports that The Southeast District has added a Level 4 Officiating Seminar on Saturday, Oct 31st at Prince William Arena in Dale City, Virginia (about 30 miles south of DC). For details, go to the Southeast Officiating Program Seminar Schedule Page.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For any Atlantic District official who wants to apply for Level 4 but cannot attend our Level 4 Seminar on August 30, neighboring districts will be hosting Level 4 Seminars on the following dates:

• Sunday, September 20,
  Somewhere in the New England District
  see NE District officiating seminar schedule for information
  
• Saturday, October 3
  Rockville Ice Arena
  Rockville, MD
  Sign up through USA Hockey
• Sunday, October 18 at 9:30am
  Cantiague Park Ice Arena
  Hicksville, NY
  Patrick Cooney
  516-496-7625
  contact Patrick ASAP to ensure admission
  
• Saturday, October 24
  Extreme Ice Center
  Indian Trail, NC
  (Charlotte area)
  register on southeastrefs.org Website
  
• Saturday, October 31
  Prince William Arena
  Dale City, VA
  (30 miles S of Washington, DC)
  register on southeastrefs.org Website
  
  

Tony Mariconda reminds us that you should sign an Out-of-District Seminar Attendance Form in most cases in order for your seminar attendance to be recognized by USA Hockey.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Please be advised that the start time of the Ice Line Seminar at West Chester, PA has been changed. Because the rink changed our ice times, the seminar will now start at 8:00 AM on Saturday, September 19, 2009.

Be sure to arrive before 8:00 AM for the registration process.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Attention potential Level 3 and Level 4 officials:

The Atlantic District will be hosting the following USA Hockey 2010 National Championships this season from April 7th to April 11th:

• Tier II Youth 14U Nationals at the Ice Vault in Wayne, NJ
• Tier II Youth 16U Nationals at Ice Line in West Chester, PA

Both of these Nationals will be in the new multi-state format (rather than by District as in the past), and so they have the potential to be very large Tournaments. As a result, we will need many qualified Level 3 and Level 4 officials to work at these sites.

In order to be considered as a Referee at Nationals this season, you must be a completely-registered Level 4 official by December 31, 2009. In order to be considered as a Linesman, you must be completely registered at Level 3 or Level 4 by Dec. 31, 2009. Note that successful registration at Level 3 or Level 4 is no guarantee of any National Tournament assignments.

If you have a desire to work in these Tournaments, be sure to register at the proper Level for the 2009-2010 season. If there are questions, please contact Tony Mariconda now at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District Officiating program will host USA Hockey Seminars for new and returning officials beginning on Saturday, August 15 and continuing through Sunday, November 1 at various arenas throughout the District.

The Seminar Schedule is listed on this website at http://www.aaharefs.org/seminar_schedule.php, along with detailed registration instructions.

If there are any questions, please contact USA Hockey Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief Tony Mariconda at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)