Tony Mariconda provided the following clarifications of potential Match Penalty situations. These situations were discussed during a question and answer session at a recent Northeast Ice Hockey Officials Association meeting:

Match Penalty to a Coach or Other Team Official

If a Coach or other Team Official receives a Match Penalty during the game, that team must immediately place a player who was on the ice at the time of the infraction in the Penalty Box to serve 5 full minutes. No substitution of this player is permitted, even if the non-offending team scores a goal(s) during the penalty.

Match Penalty Situations for Attempt to Injure

There seems to be some confusion about penalties to be assessed for what could be a Major + Game Misconduct but instead is going to be correctly called an Attempt to Injure. This could include Butt-Ending (Rule 608), Head Contact (Rule 616), Kicking (Rule 623), Spearing (Rule 634).

There are two separate options for these infractions:

1. Major + Game Misconduct
2. Match

Some officials have been recording Major + Match, and that is not a possible penalty assessment for a single infraction.

If Attempt to Injure is the penalty to be assessed, then a Match Penalty is the correct call. The offending team must immediately place a player (not the substitute goalie) in the Penalty Box for the full 5 minutes. No substitution of this player is permitted, even if the non-offending team scores a goal(s) during the penalty.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following information is taken directly from the Winter 2003 edition of Stripes Magazine, published by USA Hockey:

The Direct Registration Program implemented over the last several years marked a major change in the enforcement of registration rules. Unfortunately, however, there are still too many officials who continue to receive officiating assignments who are not fully registered. These officials who continue to work without a current card place their partner(s) in danger of facing serious consequences should a serious injury to a participant occur.

The By-Laws of USA Hockey clearly state that "All games hosted by an Affiliate Association's member team within the United States must be officiated by properly registered USA Hockey Officials." Incompletely registered (not posessing a current card and crest) officials not only put themselves at the risk of insurance liability, they jeopardize the teams, the other official(s), and, ultimately, the Supervisor of Officials and the Game Scheduler in the same manner.

All officials at this point in the season should be completely registered and have received their USA Hockey Officiating Program card and crest. If you have not, there may be a problem with your registration and you are not eligible to work games after November 30th. Assignors should not assign, under any circumstances, an official who does not possess the current card and crest to any USA Hockey sanctioned game after that date.

Officials who have not met all of the registration requirements (submitted an exam and attended a seminar) and have not received their card and crest in the mail should contact their Local Supervisor of Officials to determine the problem with their registration. Officials may also check their registration status 24 hours a day via the automated phone system at the National Office (719-576-USAH). Simply reply to the menu options using your touch-tone phone until you have reached the officials' registration menu. Your social security number or member number must then be entered and also present in our database in order to access your information.

Please correct your registration status as soon as possible to make yourself eligible to work games and to minimize potential problems during the next registration season.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)