New Rules

[rollerhcky09]

Just wondering what everyone thinks of the new rules. The ECRHA preseason tourny was this past weekend and the big new was lots and lots of penalties. I personally like the new rules. They are going to be tough to get used to, but it allows for a more clean game with less stick work. What does everyone else think?

[Dead34]

I feel that the new rules could actually work if officiating was consistent. Over the weekend, we (PSU) played several games that had potential to be very hard fought, tight and fun match ups. However, as many of us encountered, the games were pretty much determined by who had the most PP's. For example, in one of our late games there were seven goals scored, but just one of them was even strength; at this rate, PP goals will out number regular goals in no time. The biggest difference I noticed in the inconsistency was between the ref pairings on the rink. On rink one, the officials let us play a little more, and as a result the new rules were enforced in a more realistic manner. However, on rink two - the officials were the exact opposite; they called penalties on almost everything. One game I remembered watching, I counted 23 penalties total - and almost all of them were interference and hooking; not one roughing, tripping, or slashing...or anything that would merit a reasonable call. This is just one example of a game that could have been a good match up with clean play on both sides - but because of the ridiculous number of calls, that were not even the result of bad "cheap" plays - the team with the most PP's won. During another game, I even saw one official on rink two raise his hand like he was going to call something - and then changed his mind and lowered it - no call was made. It is clear that inconsistency was a factor for most of the weekend! Now, I consider myself a good sport, willing to try new things - but if things continue on this path I see this season shaping up to be a long one. On a final note, it would seem to me that we have spent a great deal of time trying to get our sport of inline hockey some recognition - and for the first time in awhile, I began to see some success this weekend. There were a ton of teams and fans that came out this weekend - and their impact really made the atmosphere great. However, following the conclusions of several games, I heard fans and parents say, "The games weren?t as fun to watch because of all the ridiculous penalties." With that having been said, I ask you - why take two steps forward by gaining great fan support and league recognition, and then take three steps backward by changing the game to a point where parents and fans aren?t even having fun watching?

[Defense1st]

This is probably too simplistic an answer, but........
The rules have not been changed, but now they are being enforced the way they were written. It will change the game back to what it was supposed to be, but it will take time and a learning curve by the players and the refs........a game of speed, and talent; the teams that learn to pass even more quickly and accurately will win more games; as the director of a facility that hosted College weekends I got to watch many of the games a few years ago; the outright goonism and thuggery that they called college hockey had most of my Elite level players disgusted. It was nothing like what they were used to seeing in Gold or Platinum level play with those same players when they played locally. The talent they displayed in their local leagues and tournaments was what my players aspired to emulate; not the hooking, slashing, checking, punching I/we witnessed.

Phil Steur

[Dead34]

Having played at elite levels of hockey myself (PIHA, State Wars, ECRHA, etc) - I can agree with you to a certain extent. There will need to be some time for both players and officials to adjust. However, the majority of the penalties called over the weekend had nothing to do with "goonish" hockey; many calls focused on obstruction issues. Nevertheless, as I stated before, I think the new rules will work - but not until consistency issues are addressed. I just do not feel that the officials should be able to make such an impact on the game. At this point, it seemed to me that it was less about how good a team was or how good they played - and more about who benefited the most from the PP goals. In our late game only 1 of the 7 goals scored by both teams was even strength - to me that seems a little out of hand; but again that is just my opinion.

[hokirballa]

yeah its also hurting our ice hockey team too but i am nto sure if its hurting us that much but i think we just need to focus and dotn wrooy about refs that much! because its not jsut our ice hokckey tema that is not happppy abotu the new rules its ervey club hockey team! becuase i checked vcu ic ehocckey and well they hade problems too!

[hockeyrobin1]

We just played at the WCRHL kickoff event in San Jose. I think that the new crackdown got a little out of hand. It felt like there was no way to back check as any stick check was called as a hook. I understand that hooking arms and/or the body should be called, but it seemed like any stick on stick contact above the blade was immediately called as a hook or slash.

[bigdaddy80]

yea the refs are getting way to quick on the whistle

[ref'n'roll]

There IS a way to backcheck---it's called SKATING!

The High School games I have been officiating the past few weekends have been better than the college games I have had.

Defensemen are keeping their stick on the ground and breaking up more plays, thus the transistion game is better. Forwards are backchecking by skating harder and getting into lanes and giving better puck support, rather than trying to go one-on-one with the player with the puck.

I think the biggest difference is the coaching. Coaches are actually taking the time to explain to players what the referees expect and what they are calling.

[nizmo]

Seeing that we're under USA Hockey Inline rules, I don't see why we are adopting the USA Hockey rules emphasis.

[MBurke]

Seeing that we're under USA Hockey Inline rules, I don't see why we are adopting the USA Hockey rules emphasis.

USA InLine adopted them as well this year. Along with PIHA and others.

[Puckdropper]

Actually, USAHIL has adopted the new rule. The new standard of play was voted on and past by all Zone Referee in Chiefs this past September.

[GoRangrHky]

so how long before we get 11" goalie pads, form fitting jerseys, and a trapezoid behind the net? I mean, why not? Everyone else is doing it...

[MBurke]

so how long before we get 11" goalie pads, form fitting jerseys, and a trapezoid behind the net? I mean, why not? Everyone else is doing it...

Actually I think that's just the NHL, not every major entity in the hockey world.

[GoRangrHky]

Actually I think that's just the NHL, not every major entity in the hockey world.

The next IIHF world ice championships will have restricted gear and Nike's form fitting jerseys. And since USA Hockey does what the IIHF does, and USA Hockey InLine insists on doing what the ice hockey guys are doing, and since we insist on doing what USAHIL does, I have a feeling that it'll be here soon enough...

[ref'n'roll]

AAU has also adopted the new rules empahsis. USAHIL is also suggesting that their sanctioned tournament series also adopt the new standard.

IMHO it is till way too early to see how this will affect the game of inline hockey. I have heard many arguments against it---the game is already wide open, scoring will be too high, the average and below average player will suffer, etc.

I have been officiating for 32 years (ice and inline) and have always called a tight game. This new rules emphasis is taking some of the "gray area" out of the game for officials, which will help the more inexperienced officials. Let's face it, most officials are inexperienced. Not everyone has the luxury of playing in a game with experienced officials like college, Juniors and minor pro and "pro" (elite) inline leagues do.

I have officiated about 20 games (upper level high school and NCRHA) the past three weeks and have been seeing some inprovement. I have seen games with 20-25 penalties, games with 10-15 penalties where players start to understand after a period or two what the new emphasis means, and games with 5 penalties played the way the "new" game is supposed to be played. Scoring remains about the same, although mismatches are seieng some higher scoring.

I do agree that some of the lesser skilled players (both skating and stick handling) are struggling, but hopefully their love of the game will make them strive to get better, rather than walk away from the game.

In USA Hockey's press release on the matter they stressed that we must all --players, coaches, parents and officials--- support this in oreder for it to be a success.