Why do guys with half shields get mad

[furlanitalia 1]

I just know I don't want to get on the ice with him. If those elbows are high I'm a little worried of where they might end up lol.

[Chadd 916]

He does have a point though. If I butt end someone and bruise their rib, is it their fault for not wearing good enough shoulder pads. Or hacking an arm with a slash by hitting the gap between the gloves and elbows, my fault or theirs? When you commit an act that is against the rules, you really shouldn't be surprised when someone gets upset.

[mack 44]

I don't think the guy he quoted even posts here anymore. The ignorance of the post didn't even warrant being quoted four years after the fact.

[furlanitalia 1]

Ahh, the ever forgotten importance of details. Good eye mack lol

[shotty 7]

its true though, if you're going to play a reckless game, watch out. your actions effect everyone else on the ice. it's a fast sport, if you're not in control of your body, bad things can happen. accidental or not, i get filled with anger if a stick even comes NEAR my face. i've been hit in the jaw with a puck off a slapshot. apart from the initial shock and subsequent pain, it didnt bother me, because its my choice to not wear a cage... BUT, swing your lumber near my face and i've got your number for the rest of the game.

[gxc999 7]

its true though, if you're going to play a reckless game, watch out. your actions effect everyone else on the ice. it's a fast sport, if you're not in control of your body, bad things can happen. accidental or not, i get filled with anger if a stick even comes NEAR my face. i've been hit in the jaw with a puck off a slapshot. apart from the initial shock and subsequent pain, it didnt bother me, because its my choice to not wear a cage... BUT, swing your lumber near my face and i've got your number for the rest of the game.

Completely agreed. Though I've seen a couple people get mad after being hit with a stick on a slap shot follow through, for example, and don't agree with anger in such cases.

[furlanitalia 1]

A follow through is still a high stick. Your job is to control your stick. If your follow though is 6 feet in the air you clearly have no control of you equipment and yah, I'd be a little pissed. Even if you're shooting high you shouldn't follow though up in my face.

[gxc999 7]

A follow through is still a high stick. Your job is to control your stick. If your follow though is 6 feet in the air you clearly have no control of you equipment and yah, I'd be a little pissed. Even if you're shooting high you shouldn't follow though up in my face.

But technically, it's not high sticking, unless it's a really wild, out of control shot. It's happened to me more than once on the defensive end- and I didn't complain, largely thanks to a full shield.

[zebra_steve 11]

Anyone else get the feeling that Steve is carrying around some repressed hostility?

That's just 'cuz I don't yell at Referees anymore... :P .............. well not in public anyway....

[Chadd 916]

But technically, it's not high sticking, unless it's a really wild, out of control shot. It's happened to me more than once on the defensive end- and I didn't complain, largely thanks to a full shield.

The exception for the follow through of a shot was removed from the USAH book years ago. It should be no different than any other play on the puck.

[zebra_steve 11]

GXc999 Are you sure?

Rule 617 High Sticks

(a) The carrying of sticks above the normal height of the

shoulder is prohibited. The Referee may assess a minor or a

major penalty on any player violating this rule.

(Note) The use of the “slap shot” in the 10 & under age

classification and below is prohibited. This applies to both

Youth and Girls. A face-off shall take place at one of the end

face-off spots adjacent to the goal of the offending player’s

team who, in the process of making a forehand shot or pass,

raises the blade of his stick above his waist in the

backswing of such shot or pass.

( B) A major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be imposed on

any player who injures an opponent by the use of a high

stick.

RULE 617 HIGH STICKS

Situation 1

How much force must be behind a stick in order to assess a

penalty for high sticking when it makes contact with an

opponent’s head or neck?

If the stick does make contact with the head, the Referee must

assess the penalty. Rule Reference 617(a).

There seems to be a common complaint throughout the

hockey community relating to an increase in sticks being

carried above the shoulder and the escalating contact being

made with sticks to the head. The main reason cited for this

increased rule violation is, with the added head protective

equipment now required, players are not worried about doing

damage to an opponent.

While this may or may not be an accurate assessment,

Officials cannot be overly preoccupied with the reasons why.

What we must be primarily concerned with is making the

appropriate high sticking calls when they occur. The fact that

a player’s head is now adequately protected and will likely not

have head injuries does not absolve Officials from penalizing

high sticking offenders any time contact is made.

Situation 2

Must contact with an opponent occur in order for the Referee

to assess a penalty for high sticking?

No. Rule Reference 617(a).

It is not a requirement that a stick make contact above

shoulder height for high sticking to be called. Whenever a

player raises his stick above his shoulders in an attempt to

intimidate an opponent or delay his progress, high sticking

must be called.

Casebook – Playing Rules

2009- 2011

Damn it Chadd.... how do you keep beating me to these responses?

[Chadd 916]

Damn it Chadd.... how do you keep beating me to these responses?

I have a lot of practice ;)

It was nice of you to copy the rule though, I was too lazy to do that. I do keep an old copy of the book next to my computer though.

[zebra_steve 11]

Well I do have to set the portable aside, walk over to my bag and dig it out or open up the PDF I have. Truthfully I can find it faster in the hard copy that searching the PDF...

[gxc999 7]

The exception for the follow through of a shot was removed from the USAH book years ago. It should be no different than any other play on the puck.

Aha, I bet I'm drawing up the NHL rulebook in my mind (A "high stick" is one which is carried above the height of the opponent's shoulders. Players and goalkeepers must be in control and responsible for their stick. However, a player or goalkeeper is permitted accidental contact on an opponent if the act is committed as a normal windup or follow through of a shooting motion. A wild swing at a bouncing puck would not be considered a normal windup or follow through and any contact to an opponent above the height of the shoulders shall be penalized accordingly). I sometimes confuse the two.  

[shotty 7]

follow thrus that hit players in the face get called all the time in the nhl.... and barely ever in the leagues I play in. it seems to happen all the time in the corners where a d is attempting to either clear or make a breakout pass, and the forward applying pressure gets hit. penalty every time.

as an aside, and not a follow thru per se, but the other day I was holding the blue line & opposing team's dman played the puck off the low glass (which he'd been doing all game) so I put my hand out to catch it and one of the players swings his stick at it (imagine a one timer in the air, as if to help it across the line) misses and slaps me in the side of the face with his blade. I give a "WTF???" to the ref and he says "he was trying to play the puck". yeah, arent we all?

seems like a lot of refs in mens league don't like to call incidental contact, and it drives me crazy as it's often the most dangerous.

[gxc999 7]

I do agree completely agree with that Shotty, those types of calls are very inconsistent!

[rinkrat94 1]

follow thrus that hit players in the face get called all the time in the nhl.... and barely ever in the leagues I play in. it seems to happen all the time in the corners where a d is attempting to either clear or make a breakout pass, and the forward applying pressure gets hit. penalty every time.

as an aside, and not a follow thru per se, but the other day I was holding the blue line & opposing team's dman played the puck off the low glass (which he'd been doing all game) so I put my hand out to catch it and one of the players swings his stick at it (imagine a one timer in the air, as if to help it across the line) misses and slaps me in the side of the face with his blade. I give a "WTF???" to the ref and he says "he was trying to play the puck". yeah, arent we all?

seems like a lot of refs in mens league don't like to call incidental contact, and it drives me crazy as it's often the most dangerous.

Holy crap, I hope that guy is not a ref for very long.

[furlanitalia 1]

Like it was said earlier, sadly most mens league refs are there just to get the money and don't always update themselves on the rules. Or enforce them

[docar15 1]

Pisses me off when people don't keep their sticks on the ice. Cage, visor, open face or whatever. Sadly I see it more with younger generations who are growing up playing in full face cages and such. The mentality to keep their sticks low is just not there from the start. I played for a season at the rink that required full face coverage and still got pissed at the guys who did not know where their sticks were.

[Fin19 1]

I played Jr. for 4 years (two/three games and practice three times a week) with a visor and didnt get clipped once with a high stick (must be lucky), however I did get hit with a puck (ouch). This year I played in a rec league through my old university which required players to wear the bird cages. Skill was varied from human tripods to ex Jr.A guys. We played 15 games and I must have been sticked in the bars half a dozen times by less skilled players. These incidents were clearly unintentional but the fellas that accidently sticked me didn’t have a clue what they just did... no apology or acknowledgement of what just happened... I would have even excepted a "Oh Shit".... Great story I know.... Maybe it has nothing to do with age. Whether or not you wear a cage, visor or nothing. but players skill sets or if they are a rookie to the sport. Maybe new guys are so concentrated on positioning, skating and getting the puck that they disregard for their sticks??? idunno, I saw this topic and felt like writing a lil story.

[furlanitalia 1]

I played Jr. for 4 years (two/three games and practice three times a week) with a visor and didnt get clipped once with a high stick (must be lucky), however I did get hit with a puck (ouch). This year I played in a rec league through my old university which required players to wear the bird cages. Skill was varied from human tripods to ex Jr.A guys. We played 15 games and I must have been sticked in the bars half a dozen times by less skilled players. These incidents were clearly unintentional but the fellas that accidently sticked me didn’t have a clue what they just did... no apology or acknowledgement of what just happened... I would have even excepted a "Oh Shit".... Great story I know.... Maybe it has nothing to do with age. Whether or not you wear a cage, visor or nothing. but players skill sets or if they are a rookie to the sport. Maybe new guys are so concentrated on positioning, skating and getting the puck that they disregard for their sticks??? idunno, I saw this topic and felt like writing a lil story.

I think that's exactly what it is, skill set isn't there so they just don't know. About two weeks ago I was chasing a puck down behind the opponents net, their goalie came out to play and as he has skating back to his net I passed him and felt his stick spear me just below my teeth, not only knocking it out of his hands but partially breaking it. Guy was well under 5'10 and I'm over 6'2, and last I checked if you stop a puck behind the net their is no reason for your stick to be up above your head. Everyone on their team acted oblivious to it and beaked me a bit, there was no penalty, the faceoff came outside, and I was sent off for stopping play. Accidents happen but stuff like that is completely unnecessary.

[tareatingrat 4]

But again, the debate isn't about whether people should keep their sticks down, because we all agree they should, but that's in an ideal world.

It's about whether or not you can prevent an injury to yourself by wearing some simple face protection.

I rarely draw high sticking penalties anymore because of my cage. But you know what, I'd rather have my teeth.

[dsjunior1388 81]

But again, the debate isn't about whether people should keep their sticks down, because we all agree they should, but that's in an ideal world.

It's about whether or not you can prevent an injury to yourself by wearing some simple face protection.

I rarely draw high sticking penalties anymore because of my cage. But you know what, I'd rather have my teeth.

Good for you. Doesn't meant the rest of us have to do exactly what you do.

[tareatingrat 4]

Good for you. Doesn't meant the rest of us have to do exactly what you do.

Heh. While that may be true, you'd be a lot safer out there if you did.

But, yeah, your choice. Didn't think I said everyone needs to do as I do, even if I think it would prevent a lot of injuries...but whatever.

No need to get all uppity.

[Tikkanen 1]

I took a shot to the right side of my visor last night. Without my visor I probably would have fractured my orbital bone or at the very least had a very nice shiner and a mandatory trip to the nearest bar that has ladies night tomorrow.