Rule 615 - Playing the puck with your hand

[repus 0]

I am curious on a rule definition. Rule 615 in USA Hockey rule book doesn't quite make this clear.

Situation #7 in the case book is close to defining whats going on here.

To make it clear:

Player is in the offensive zone, they intentionally bat the puck out of the air with the hand. Instead of playing it with their stick, they kick the puck to a teammate who receives it on their stick. Is this a hand pass or not?

I have seen some opinions go in both directions so I thought I would pose this out to a larger audience.

-dave

[Gongshow11 1]

depends what league. Some leagues say skates are posession if u direct the puck to a teammate or the goal

[kosydar 0]

They bat it directly down to their feet? Or they bat it forward, skate to it, and kick it?

[repus 0]

Lets assume USA hockey rules (I think that the CAHA is the same rule in this case).

I don't see the difference as to where the player bats the puck to. If they are the first to play the puck with their skate, I don't see how it makes a difference?

-dave

[Chadd 916]

Your description is a bit fuzzy.

The guy who kicks the puck is?

The same guy who knocked it down? It's a legal play

Someone other than the guy who knocked it down? It's not a legal play

[technophile 0]

Your description is a bit fuzzy.

The guy who kicks the puck is?

The same guy who knocked it down? It's a legal play

Someone other than the guy who knocked it down? It's not a legal play

I read it as saying "Player #1 bats the puck out of the air, then kicks it to Player #2" -- a legal play.

The reason it goes the other way is either the ref was mistaken, or they just didn't see it right. I remember a scramble in front of an opponent's net a few seasons ago where I ended up on my stomach, facing back towards the blue line, with the puck in front of my face and a teammate directly between me and the blue line (in other words, in perfect position for me to slide them the puck and them to shoot over me and the rest of the pile).

I used the portion of my stick between my hands to slide the puck to my teammate, and as soon as he touched it I was called for a hand pass. At no time did my hand ever touch the puck, but I wasn't surprised by the call (annoyed, but not surprised)--it had to have been hard for the ref to see.

[chippa13 1844]

They bat it directly down to their feet? Or they bat it forward, skate to it, and kick it?

What difference would that make? It would still be the guy who gloved the puck being the first person to play the puck.

[repus 0]

In order to score a goal, you have to play it with your stick. In the USA hockey case book, it states that if you intentionally bat the puck out of the air with your hand and it bounces off of your stick and into the net, it does not count as a goal.

In the rule itself, it refers to having possession of the puck and not necessarily playing the puck. Is it possible to establish possession by kicking the puck? When stopping the play for a penalty, kicking the puck is sufficient, so I think that it would not be a hand pass in this situation.

-dave

[sdcopp 1]

as Chadd was alluding to, if player 1 both bats and then kicks the puck, it's legal. If Player 1 bats it with their hand to another player who then kicks it, it's a hand pass. At any time if a player plays it with their hand and they are not the next person on their team to touch the puck again it's a hand pass.

[gotdangles16 0]

Sounds legal to me

[Chadd 916]

In order to score a goal, you have to play it with your stick. In the USA hockey case book, it states that if you intentionally bat the puck out of the air with your hand and it bounces off of your stick and into the net, it does not count as a goal.

In the rule itself, it refers to having possession of the puck and not necessarily playing the puck. Is it possible to establish possession by kicking the puck? When stopping the play for a penalty, kicking the puck is sufficient, so I think that it would not be a hand pass in this situation.

-dave

Possession essentially means that you were the last one to touch the puck. Playing the puck falls under possession and control.

[TBLfan 25]

In order to score a goal, you have to play it with your stick. In the USA hockey case book, it states that if you intentionally bat the puck out of the air with your hand and it bounces off of your stick and into the net, it does not count as a goal.

In the rule itself, it refers to having possession of the puck and not necessarily playing the puck. Is it possible to establish possession by kicking the puck? When stopping the play for a penalty, kicking the puck is sufficient, so I think that it would not be a hand pass in this situation.

-dave

You're not allowed to kick a puck into the net, but if a puck deflects off your skate(even though it doesn't touch your stick) you'll get credit for the goal. That equals possesion. Remember that whole "distinct kicking motion" thing?

[iceholes 0]

maybe different if you catch it, drop kick it to a streaking winger and he goes in alone!

[Chadd 916]

In order to score a goal, you have to play it with your stick. In the USA hockey case book, it states that if you intentionally bat the puck out of the air with your hand and it bounces off of your stick and into the net, it does not count as a goal.

In the rule itself, it refers to having possession of the puck and not necessarily playing the puck. Is it possible to establish possession by kicking the puck? When stopping the play for a penalty, kicking the puck is sufficient, so I think that it would not be a hand pass in this situation.

-dave

You're not allowed to kick a puck into the net, but if a puck deflects off your skate(even though it doesn't touch your stick) you'll get credit for the goal. That equals possesion. Remember that whole "distinct kicking motion" thing?

USAH does not use "distinct kicking motion." Someone swiped my rule book but I believe USAH allows the goal if it is "deflected" but not if it is "directed" in by a skate.

[RadioGaGa 162]

The biggest thing to take into consideration, before you can answer the question :

Is Mick McGeough (re: McGoo) the ref? :D