USA Hockey Rule 611 on Face-offs

[DekeHead 0]

I have a question regarding the interpretation of Rule 611(d) of the current USA Hockey Rules. It states:

(d) In the conduct of any face-off anywhere on the playing surface, no player facing-off shall make any physical contact with his opponent’s body by means of his own body or by his stick except in the course of playing the puck after the face-off has been completed. For violation of this rule the Referee shall impose a minor penalty or penalties on the player(s) whose action(s) caused the physical contact.

As a coach of PeeWee level players, I always see kids tying up sticks in the face-off circle, or even hitting the opposing center as soon as he/she touches the puck. I also always considered this part of the game. Is this then illegal by this rule, or are you allowed to make contact with the opposing player/stick assuming that the puck has dropped and they touched the puck first?

[jrock 0]

You can make contact after the puck is dropped, but not before. That's my interpretation.

[DekeHead 0]

Thanks! That's exactly what I thought!

[MDE3 0]

I believe the rule was intituted to eliminate the interference that goes on in the case of a clean face off win, where the puck has cleared the players facing off, but one or the other continues to "tie up"..This follows the trend of tightening the rules on how interference is called. As the rule states....contact is only allowed between the players with the stick or the body "in the course of playing the puck"...how it will be interpreted and applied may vary.

[Chadd 916]

It's to prevent a player from running the other guy and making no attempt to play the puck.