USA Hockey rules question

[Cams 7]

Curious - but I found this very odd. I played in a tournament (quite a few years ago now) in Michigan (U of M business school), and obviously it was played under USA hockey rules.

In a recreational league game is the play blown dead if an opposing players skate enters the crease area? Is there any reason why this rule would be in place?

Not sure why this popped into my mind today of all times, but was hoping some of the American members would help to answer this question.

Thanks!

[Chadd 916]

Any time a player enters the crease, the whistle can be blown. Most refs will give a warning unless the puck is shot while the player is in the crease. Once the puck enters the crease, players are permitted to follow the puck in.

[wrangler 157]

Thanks; I got a whistle once because my stick touched the blue when the puck wasn't there yet. Now I know why.

[flyers10 57]

Thanks; I got a whistle once because my stick touched the blue when the puck wasn't there yet. Now I know why.

A whistle for your stick blade being in the blue paint? I thought it was a whistle only if your skate or body was in the blue paint.

[wrangler 157]

You got me. I didn't know the rule, and the ref didn't really explain it. If that doesn't warrant a whistle, then he made a mistake, or my skate may have just touched the blue, and I didn't even notice.

[Cams 7]

You got me. I didn't know the rule, and the ref didn't really explain it. If that doesn't warrant a whistle, then he made a mistake, or my skate may have just touched the blue, and I didn't even notice.

It was a situation similar to that where me and my linemate were driving the net (not crashing the goalie or anything), and then out of nowhere the ref whistled the play. The ref never really explained it to us either. Needless to say, me and the other guys who had no idea this kind of rule existed were dumbfounded!

Thanks for clarifying!

[Powerfibers 8]

Our referees in men's league work exactly as Chadd has described. The other day, I followed the puck in and got buried in the crease, the referee gave me a chance to get out of the crease, but when the puck left the crease and was fired back in, he blew it dead and disallowed the goal because I was still lying there!

[Chadd 916]

A whistle for your stick blade being in the blue paint? I thought it was a whistle only if your skate or body was in the blue paint.

Technically, the crease extends from the ice to the top of the goal. Any intrusion into that area, on the ice or not, is a crease violation. Very few guys call it like that, most will talk to the players and only blow it down when it involves a scoring opportunity or if a player continues to do it intentionally.

[wrangler 157]

Thanks. That pretty much covers what I didn't know. About that rule, anyway.