My first game misconduct penalty...

[Grave77Digger 1]

Im pretty annoyed by the ref from our game last night. Ever have one of those games where no matter what you do it seems the ref has a hard on for you?

Period 1

(Roughing Minor), 2 min , 11:30

Period 2

(Body Checking Minor), 2 min , 5:07

(Unsportsmanlike Conduct Minor), 2 min , 7:21

Period 3

(Interference Minor), 2 min , 5:12

(Cross Checking Minor), 2 min , 9:02

(5 Penalties in a Game Game Misconduct), 10 min , 9:02

The unsportsmanlike conduct was for DIVING after I got high sticked. I dont wear a cage and have lost teeth in the past so you better believe when I feel a stick crack my visor im going to flinch. I then lost my balance and fell. Supposedly the ref has reffed at the AHL level and felt I embellished it. I play novice league because my skating ability is novice, if I could stay on my skates in any situation I wouldnt be playing novice!! Honestly I only had 2 legit penalties... the roughing and the crosscheck... the worst part is ill probably get a 1 game suspension. Argh!

[Sven 1]

oof. Ive never heard of a "(5 Penalties in a Game GM)". Poor guy.

[flyerman 0]

We have this same rule in our league -- five minors and you're done.

I have noticed that in some of the lower divisions (bad) refs often hone in on bigger guys that happen to run over players just because of their size, and call them for everything just 'cause the other guy falls down. It's like a spiraling effect. Not sure if this fits your experience, though.

I feel like I'm in the opposite situation most games. I've been blatantly checked into the boards (no checking league), tripped, and interferred with/obstructed throughout games -- and nine out of ten times, no call. I think it's because I have an old tendency of going down to draw penalties -- not diving as such, but not forcing myself to try to stay on my feet and skate through an infraction. Maybe some refs simply think I am embellishing, see it as a pattern, and now are hesistant to make a call when I get laid out.

But I am never been called for diving (or unsportsmanlike conduct for doing so). That's ridiculous. Almost as bad as the NHL when they give matching minors for diving and tripping. Which is it?

[chippa13 1844]

If you already had 4 penalties then you should not have been crosschecking anyone. :P

Honestly, sometimes refs will keep an eye on certain guys if perhaps the guy has a reputation in the league. Either that or they'll watch big guys who look like they might be a little rambunctious.

[mrusse01 0]

Most of the leagues I play in it is 3 stick penalties and you are gone, never heard of the 5 in one game rule though.

Diving sounds pretty stupid, I've never heard that called in a rec league.

[JR97 2]

Diving in a rec league is an absurd call. The skill level is too broad to tell if someone embellishes or is going down legitimattly. Different skills mean different looking falls.

The inline league I played in was 3 penalties and out.

But I have had one of those games.

1) Tripping - got puck first and dude stepped on my stick and broke the blade.

2) High Sticking - Was on the boards and brought my stick over the top and it came down right on some dude's head I didn't know was there. Sorry, mate.

3) Obstruction/Interference - I won the face off and went to breakout and ran into the other centerman that proceeded to crosscheck me in the face and I flew back about 5 feet. (I only weighed about 110 at the time.) He got nothing I got tossed.

For the record, the tripping call is probably only one of 5 times in my 20 years of playing hockey that I've questioned a ref to his face. Because of that, I know first hand that I've gotten away with many no-calls. Most recent was a blatant elbow to a forecheckers grill. When I got to the bench the ref said, "Nice elbow. don't do it again." whew.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

x2 on the diving in a novice league. Give me a break ref.

Sucks that you got tossed and may lose money if you end up suspended for a game.

[dix0r 0]

is diving even an infraction under USA hockey now? i think i've seen it called once in adult league, and the ref admitted (maybe erroneously?) after the game that it isn't specifically an infraction. and that he called it anyway cause the guy was a jerk. maybe chad / other refs can chime in.

what'd you get the intereference call for?

[JPB_69 0]

Im pretty annoyed by the ref from our game last night. Ever have one of those games where no matter what you do it seems the ref has a hard on for you?

Period 1

(Roughing Minor), 2 min , 11:30

Period 2

(Body Checking Minor), 2 min , 5:07

(Unsportsmanlike Conduct Minor), 2 min , 7:21

Period 3

(Interference Minor), 2 min , 5:12

(Cross Checking Minor), 2 min , 9:02

(5 Penalties in a Game Game Misconduct), 10 min , 9:02

The unsportsmanlike conduct was for DIVING after I got high sticked. I dont wear a cage and have lost teeth in the past so you better believe when I feel a stick crack my visor im going to flinch. I then lost my balance and fell. Supposedly the ref has reffed at the AHL level and felt I embellished it. I play novice league because my skating ability is novice, if I could stay on my skates in any situation I wouldnt be playing novice!! Honestly I only had 2 legit penalties... the roughing and the crosscheck... the worst part is ill probably get a 1 game suspension. Argh!

Not to sound like a dick but, Roughing? Body Checking? Cross Checking? In a novice rec league? Taking things a little too serious are we?

[Chadd 916]

First of all, Neither Greg nor Schelly have ever worked an AHL game. Let me guess, it was the asshole who was chewing gum all game that made the call?

Call Linda at the rink and complain. There is no diving call for USA Hockey. It is not a valid option.

[mik3 1]

Other than the ole three penalty game misconduct I thankfully haven't had one since I was about 14. When I was being a little prick and threw my gloves into the box then banged my stick on the glass after sitting down.

Five isn't that bad of a max though, but the dives as were said are BS.

[Ti-girl 0]

Hahaha I was playing in a "novice league" a couple of summers ago because I was too late signing up for the other division.

Anyway, I got a game misconduct for too many penalties in a game. ALL of them for bodychecking.

Too bad I can skate and stand up and they can't.

[hunterphfr 12]

is diving even an infraction under USA hockey now? i think i've seen it called once in adult league, and the ref admitted (maybe erroneously?) after the game that it isn't specifically an infraction. and that he called it anyway cause the guy was a jerk. maybe chad / other refs can chime in.

what'd you get the intereference call for?

5 penalties and you're gone in our league too BUT

My understanding is as Chadd said USA hockey has NO PENALTY for diving, thus you were suspended for a penalty that does not exist. Too late now for last game. But I sure as sh@t wouldn't miss another game because some power hungry dipshit watches the NHL on VS. and gets $20 a game to ref, and figures he's sure to make a career out of it.

[QandA 0]

No their is no penalty for diving in Canadian Hockey rules, but it's just called unsportsmanlike..

[Chadd 916]

is diving even an infraction under USA hockey now? i think i've seen it called once in adult league, and the ref admitted (maybe erroneously?) after the game that it isn't specifically an infraction. and that he called it anyway cause the guy was a jerk. maybe chad / other refs can chime in.

what'd you get the intereference call for?

5 penalties and you're gone in our league too BUT

My understanding is as Chadd said USA hockey has NO PENALTY for diving, thus you were suspended for a penalty that does not exist. Too late now for last game. But I sure as sh@t wouldn't miss another game because some power hungry dipshit watches the NHL on VS. and gets $20 a game to ref, and figures he's sure to make a career out of it.

USAH told officials not to call it last year. I skipped the clinic this year but I highly doubt they wanted to encourage that call.

[hapamatt122 0]

I have noticed that in some of the lower divisions (bad) refs often hone in on bigger guys that happen to run over players just because of their size, and call them for everything just 'cause the other guy falls down. It's like a spiraling effect. Not sure if this fits your experience, though.

not always true, I'm pretty much one of the smallest guys in my league @ 5'6, I'm in an intermediate division so it has a mix of some guys that are too good for the div and some guys that aren't good enough to be there.. usually when incidental contact is made, I'm the guy thats still on his feet, and they call me for roughing or checking or what have u, and then on the way to the box the ref will tell me its cuz the other guy can't skate and I should try to get out of his way.. blah!

[Grave77Digger 1]

Not to sound like a dick but, Roughing? Body Checking? Cross Checking? In a novice rec league? Taking things a little too serious are we?

They were very weak body contact calls, The roughing was me knocking a guy over in our crease and was a legit call. Body checking? I dont even know how, I think it was just making body contact in the corners fighting for the puck and the dude fell. Ill bump guys but nothing that would be considered a check or a crosscheck. The interference call was a REALLY bad call. I was chasing down what would have been an icing call, there Dman got there first in the corner and knew i was coming hard for the puck so he slams on the breaks and leans backwards into me and falls over. A bit of diving on his part but whatever.

The unsportsmanlike conduct was the most confusing call for sure. I was high sticked and fell to the ice then get an unsportsmanlike conduct... I never mouthed off once. My stick may have got some air when I fell I noticed it was a bit far from me when I picked myself up.

First of all, Neither Greg nor Schelly have ever worked an AHL game. Let me guess, it was the asshole who was chewing gum all game that made the call?

Call Linda at the rink and complain. There is no diving call for USA Hockey. It is not a valid option.

That is correct lol! He made all the calls on me. If you think saying something to Linda would help then I will certainly give it a try. But im not sure how I would go about arguing it.

The guy on our team that refs had said he reffed some AHL level so I just assumed he was right.

[Jordan 13]

I played in a league last year with the 3 minor penalty rule. I had one minor for hooking early in the game (lifted a guy's stick in front of the net..hmm okay). That was silly call number one.

Then I take a face-off, I win, and pull the puck around the guy, as I am skating past him with the puck on my stick, the guy falls down and the ref calls me for tripping. I have never seen a triping call against a guy who is carrying the puck in my life. So, I ask the ref about it, and he instantly gives me an unsportsmanlike for my third penalty and throws me out of the game. Crazy!

The only other time I was thrown out of a game, a guy cross-checked me from behind into the boards...I got up and punched him - hard. This one was more clear cut- ggggg

[hapamatt122 0]

In my league we also get fined if you get kicked out of the game..

[The Fresh Young MikeyD 0]

not always true, I'm pretty much one of the smallest guys in my league @ 5'6, I'm in an intermediate division so it has a mix of some guys that are too good for the div and some guys that aren't good enough to be there.. usually when incidental contact is made, I'm the guy thats still on his feet, and they call me for roughing or checking or what have u, and then on the way to the box the ref will tell me its cuz the other guy can't skate and I should try to get out of his way.. blah!

Not only do I think that's horrible advice, but as far as I'm concerned it's also dangerous advice. In a non-contact league I think most people will avoid hitting someone if they can. My issue with telling you to try and get out of the other player's way is that this situation often unfolds so quickly that if you try to avoid contact you might only get partially out of the other player's way. That when get into potentially dangerous situations like knee-on-knee collisions. There's no way of knowing exactly where the other player is going to move. How often do you almost bump into someone on the street because the other person steps back in front of you after you tried to sidestep that person to avoid a collision? If I was told that by a referee I'd probably calmly try and explain why I think that advice is flawed after the game. I'm sure all it would get me is extra scrutiny by that particular referee in future games, but who knows maybe that referee takes it under consideration in the future.

That being said just like your example I find that the person who's most solid on his/her skates (usually the better player) will get a body checking penalty during incidental contact in a non-contact league—it happens almost without fail. It's a really tough position to be in as a referee because the contact can create a man advantage situation until the other player can get back into position or the contact could spark some tempers if there's no call. On the other side if it could be viewed as a borderline call it really ticks off the penalised team especially if it gets scored-on. But what this really speaks to is the need to have a league that's as balanced as possible because if everybody is pretty much of equal ability you probably both fall and the incidental contact pretty much becomes a non-issue.

[Lufria 1]

In my league we also get fined if you get kicked out of the game..

interesting, never heard of this in rinks around me. How much???

[Law Goalie 147]

Only time I ever got tossed was for blocker-punching a guy over the boards.

Dear god, was that ever satisfying.

[s Greens 0]

Only time I ever got tossed was for blocker-punching a guy over the boards.

Dear god, was that ever satisfying.

HAHA and im sure you got a few games to go with that eh?

[cch 0]

I also play in a no check league and have frequently had situations were the puck carrier runs into me on their own accord, and on most occasions I have knocked the other guy down and have yet to receive a penalty for it(to my surprise). I think the main reason refs would call this a penalty is the simple fact that someone fell as a result of contact, but if I fall as a result of their contact there will probably not be a penalty called. I'm not going to act like I know anything about how refs are trained but some how we need to teach refs to use more discretion when making a call as well as stressing the importance of identifying the contact initiator because that who is at fault. I can't believe a ref has told someone to get out of a player way, that has to be the dumbest ref ever. If I'm standing in position and someone comes at me there is no way I'm going to move out of my position, if they don't want contact then they shouldn't try to take my space. I hope i never have to deal with a ref that does not understand that.