Response:  No.  Rule Reference 620 (a, Note 2).
Icing is determined the instant the puck is shot and not at the instant the puck completely crosses the goal line.

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Situation:  Icing
Team A shoots the puck from behind their defending Blue Line (Red Line for Maroon and Blue Divisions) and it continues toward the opposing team’s Goal Line. An opposing player coasts toward the puck or turns away before the puck crosses the goal line. Is icing still in effect?

Response:  No. Rule Reference 620 (d and Note).
The opposing team must make every effort to play the puck before it crosses the Goal Line. Icing shall be nullified should the Official feel the opposing team (except the goalkeeper) was able to play the puck. So in the case where an OPPOSING player has an opportunity to play the puck, but doesn't (slows down before getting to the puck, fans on the puck, skates away from the puck), icing is nullified ("waved off").

Note: This applies whether or not the goalie is in the net. The goalie is the only one not obligated to attempt to play the puck on potential icing. If there is no designated goalie on the ice, and a sixth skater is in the defending zone at the time of potential icing, she must make a reasonable attempt to play the puck.

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Situation:  Icing
The puck is shot from behind the center Red Line (for Blue/Maroon Divisions; behind the Blue Line for Red/Green Divisions) and continues toward the opposite goal line. The goalkeeper moves out a few feet to play the puck, but refrains from doing so, and the puck crosses the goal line. Is icing still in effect?

Response:  Yes.  Rule References 620 (d and Note).
The goalkeeper is not required to play the puck during an icing situation.

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Situation: Icing the Puck
A player shoots the puck into her opponent's Defending Zone. The puck leaves the stick directly on the center red line (for Maroon, Blue Divisions; defending blue line for Green & Red). Assume the puck has been advanced from the shooting player's Defending Zone. Is this a potential icing?

Response: Yes. Rule References 620 (a) and 105 (b & c).
The determining edge of the center red line (or defending blue line for Green & Red Divisions) is the edge of the line further from the half of the ice in which the puck is located. [In this case, the determining edge is the edge furthest from the shooter's Defending Zone.] Since the puck is shot from a point behind this line, potential icing applies, and the back official should signal potential icing.

If the puck was COMPLETELY (100%) in front of the determining edge, potential icing does not apply. When it is unsure as to where the puck exactly left the stick, the back official should always give the player shooting the puck the benefit and wash out the icing infraction.

Situation: Interference
A Team A player loses her stick during play and grabs a stick out of an opponent's hand. She then continues to play with the opponent's stick. Should the Referee assess a penalty for this action?

Response:  Yes. Rule References 621 (a).
The Referee must assess the Team A player a minor penalty for Interference. This action is considered to be "deliberately knocking a stick out of an opponent's hand.

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Situation: Interference
An attacking player carries the puck into her opponent's goal crease. The goalkeeper knocks the puck away from the attacker and out of the crease, but another attacking player immediately gains possession and shoots the puck into the goal while her teammate is still standing in the crease. The player in the crease has not been interfered with and the total elapsed time between when the puck is cleared from the crease and when it is shot back into the crease is at most one second. Should the goal be disallowed because of the player in the crease?

Response:  Yes. Rule References 621 (d and e).
Rule 621 (e) makes no mention of a time factor as an exception to an attacking player being in the crease while the goalkeeper is in the crease, and, in this situation, the rule must be applied as written.

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Situation: Interference
When the attacking team has possession of the puck in its Attacking Zone, should the Referee stop play and require a Neutral Zone face-off every time an attacking player places her stick and/or skates in the opposing team's goal crease?

Response:  No. Rule reference 621 (d).
Play should not be stopped because a player MOMENTARILY places her stick and/or skates in the goal crease, unless she interferes with the goalkeeper in any manner. However, if a goal is scored while an attacking player has her stick and/or skates in the opponent's goal crease, the Referee shall have no alternative but to disallow the goal, unless the goalkeeper is completely out of the crease, in which case the goal shall be allowed.

Situation: Interference
The goalkeeper leaves her crease to stop a shot. Before she can return to her crease, an attacking player enters the crease before the puck, and a teammate shoots the puck into the goal. Is the goal legal?

Response:  Yes. Rule Reference 621 (d).
If the goalkeeper is completely out of her crease, an attacking player may precede the puck into the crease and any otherwise legally scored goal in this situation shall be allowed.  However, if the goalkeeper is attempting to return to the goal crease and there is any interference by the attacking player which prevents the goalkeeper from making a direct path back to the crease, or in playing the puck in the crease, then the goal must be disallowed.

Situation:  Kicking Player
Two players collide with each other, fall to the ice and become tangled up with each other. In an effort to free herself, one of the players uses her skate to push off the opposing player. Should a penalty be assessed in this situation?

Response:  Yes. Rule Reference 623 (a, Note 1).
Regardless of how minor the push may be, the penalty should be assessed. Generally speaking, a Major plus a Game Misconduct penalty shall be assessed in this instance. In many cases players don't realize the danger involved with pushing off another player with the skate.

Note: In situations where the Referee determines that the kicking player was attempting to injure, or deliberately kicking another player, a Match penalty would be the appropriate assessment.

Situation: Division of Ice Surface
In which zone are the Blue Lines considered to be a part?

Situation: Off-Sides
The puck is shot by a player from behind her defending blue line. A teammate who is already in the Neutral Zone skates down the ice and precedes the puck across her attacking blue line. Off-sides is called. Where does the face-off take place?

Response:  See Rule Reference 626 (b).
The puck is to be faced-off at the point of origin of the shot.

Situation: Off-Sides
There was a question last week from an NCWHL player about "tagging up" during a delayed off-sides situation. The question was,

"When an attaching player is "tagging up" at the blue line in an off-sides situation (they are tagging up to become onsides again), do BOTH their skates need to fully cross over the blue line into the neutral zone to tag up, does only one skate have to hit the neutral zone, or does only one skate have to hit the blue line (as this week's "Situation of the Week" implies) or ????"

Response:  See rule 626 (c), Off-Sides.
If an attacking player is already in the Attacking Zone when the puck enters that zone, she must make "skate contact" with the Blue line to have "tagged up." Note, ALL attacking players must be simultaneously clear of the zone before ANY of them may be eligible to re-enter the zone and play the puck. The following examples may make it clearer.

Examples of "On-side" feet positioning:
(a) BOTH feet COMPLETELY in the Neutral Zone (white ice);
(b) one foot completely in the Neutral Zone, AND the other foot either partially or completely on the Blue Line;
(c) BOTH feet completely or partially on the Blue Line;
(d) one foot partially or completely on the Blue Line and the other foot in the Attacking Zone.

Examples where the player HASN'T "tagged up":
(a) BOTH feet completely in the Attacking Zone;
(b) One or both feet not touching any part of the Blue Line, nor any part of the Neutral Zone.
By making skate contact with the Blue Line, players are merely required to establish an On-Side position which would have applied when the puck originally entered the Attacking Zone.

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Situation: Off-Sides
A player has both skates in the Neutral Zone and the stick in her Attacking Zone at the instant the puck completely crosses the Blue Line into her Attacking Zone. Is she off-side?

Response:  No. Rule References 626 (a and c).
The position of the player's skates at the instant the puck enters the Attacking Zone determines off-sides.

Situation: Off-sides
The puck is in possession of the attacking team in the Attacking Zone. The puck is passed back to the Blue Line by an attacking player. The pass is received by a teammate on the far edge of the Blue Line (half on the line, and half in the Neutral Zone), and then is shot on goal. Has an off-sides infraction occurred?

Response:  No. Rule References 626 (a) and 105 (b).
The line is always part of the zone in which the puck is located. In this instance, the line is part of the Attacking Zone. So the puck is still in the Attacking Zone, until it COMPLETELY crosses the line, and is completely in the white part of the Neutral Zone. Now that the puck is in the Neutral Zone, BOTH Blue Lines are part of the Neutral Zone.

Situation: Puck Out of Bounds or Unplayable
Where is the face off when the puck strikes an Official and goes out of the playing area?

Response:  Where the puck was last played by a player. Rule References 628 (a) and 631 (a).
It makes no difference from where the puck was shot or in which zone the Official is located.

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Situation: Puck Out of Bounds or Unplayable
An attacking player in her Attacking Zone shoots the puck so that it rebounds off the end boards onto the back of the defending team's goal. The Referee stops play after a defending player is unable to play the puck off the netting within 3 seconds. Where is the ensuing face-off?

Response:  At the Neutral Zone face-off spot nearest to the point where the shot originated. Rule References 628 (b and Note).
The attacking player who shot the puck caused the stoppage of play.

Situation: Puck Must Be Kept in Motion
A player is playing the puck along the boards with her skates or stick, but not advancing the puck in an attempt to obtain a stoppage of play.  What should the Referee do if the action continues? 

Response:  See Rule References 629 (a) and 609 (e).
Initially the Referee should verbally alert the player to advance the puck, provided she is not being checked. If, after approximately three seconds expire, no attempt has been made to advance the puck, the Referee shall stop play and assess a minor penalty for delaying the game.

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Situation: Puck Must Be Kept in Motion
Two opposing players skate into the corner in an effort to hold the puck along the boards until the Officials stop play. When should the Official stop play?

Response:  See Rule References 629 (a and Note).  
The Official must only stop play if a player falls onto or is knocked down onto the puck, or if it is evident that unnecessary contact will result from allowing the play to continue.
In the instance in which only one player intentionally holds the puck along the boards for three seconds, the Referee shall have no alternative but to assess a minor penalty for Delaying the Game to the offending player.

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Rules 630 - 640

Situation:  Abuse of Official and Other Misconduct
What is the proper sequence of penalties to be assessed to a player who continues to verbally abuse an Official or who persists in disputing a call?

Response:  See Rule References 632 and 601 (a, c1, d).
Minor, Misconduct (10 minute), Game Misconduct (ejection from the game), warning to the Captain, Bench Minor penalty.  The Bench Minor penalty in this sequence penalizes the team if the player refuses to leave the ice after she has been assessed a Game Misconduct and the team has been warned.

Note: If a player uses obscene, profane or abusive language to any person on the ice or anywhere in the rink before, during or after the game, she shall be assessed a Misconduct (10 minute) penalty. In this case the Minor penalty may be skipped.

Situation: Slashing
For a slashing penalty to be assessed, must stick contact be made with the opposing player?

Response:  No.  Rule References 633 (a and b).  
If the object of a slashing motion is to intimidate an opponent or to actually try to strike her, stick contact need not be made in order for a penalty to be assessed.

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Situation: Throwing Stick
A defending player throws her stick along the ice at an attacking player in possession and control of the puck. The attacking player is in her Attacking Zone when the stick is thrown. The stick does not hit the puck or the player, but the player loses possession of the puck. Is a penalty shot to be awarded?

Response:  Yes. Rule reference 636 (a).
The offended team has a penalty shot/optional minor penalty option. When a defending player throws her stick in the direction of the puck which is in her Defending Zone, a penalty shot must be awarded. In this situation the Referee cannot be expected to determine whether the stick caused the attacking player to lose her concentration or if she lost possession by her own actions.

Situation: Throwing Stick
A player breaks her stick and instead of dropping it on the ice she deposits it over the boards and outside of the playing area. Does this action warrant a penalty?

Response: Yes. Rule References 636 (c) and 605 (a).
A (10 minute) misconduct must be assessed.
Even though the player may be trying to keep the broken stick off the ice, the Referee has no choice but to assess a (10 minute) misconduct penalty to that player.

Situation: Time of Match and Time Outs
Both teams line up for a face-off late in the game. Just prior to the conducting of the face-off, Team A requests a time-out. Is the Referee obligated to allow this time-out to take place?

Response:  No.  Rule Reference 637 (e).
Once the line-up procedure has been completed (both teams had an opportunity to change players), the Referee may not allow a request for time-out.

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Situation: Tied Games
At the end of the third period, the game is tied.  Is there Overtime?

Response:  Maybe.  NCWHL Rule reference 638.  (Replaces USA Hockey Rule 638a.)
"If, at the end of regulation play, the game results in a tie, an overtime period may be played if adequate time remains in the ice slot. The period shall consist of a 5 minute, sudden death period."

Notes:
1)  "Adequate time" means that there must be AT LEAST 5 minutes remaining in the ice slot.  Overtime will resume immediately at the expiration of Regulation time, with no intermission.
2)  "Sudden death" means that the first team to score wins the game, no matter how much time remains on the clock.
3)  The overtime period shall be "running time," which means that the clock will NOT STOP with whistles for face offs, penalties, etc.  The Referee will indicate to the Timekeeper if the clock shall be stopped for a Time Out (see Note #5), injuries, or other unusual circumstances.
4)  Any Minor or Bench Minor penalties assessed during Overtime will be THREE (3) minutes in length.  Any player assessed a Major penalty will be charged SEVEN (7) minutes.
5)  If, at the expiration of Regulation time, neither team has exercised their one minute Time Out, NEITHER team shall be allowed to take their Time Out (due to time limitations).  However, if one team has already used their Time Out, the other team shall be allowed to take theirs during Overtime.  If this is the case, the Referee must allow an additional two minutes in ice slot time, and this determination shall be made BEFORE Overtime begins.

This is one of the few situations in which an NCWHL rule supercedes an USA Hockey rule.  The purpose of this rule is to utilize ice time, when available, to conclude a tied game.

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Situation: Tripping
A defending player leaves her feet and slides into the puck carrier. The defending player gains possession of the puck and the attacking player falls to the ice after being hit by the defending player's body. Should a penalty be assessed?

Response:  Yes. Rule References 639 (a and Note 3).
When a player leaves her feet and slides into an opponent, thereby causing her to fall, a penalty for tripping must be called regardless of who gains possession of the puck. The only exception is when a player drops to his knees to block a shot and her momentum carries her into the player shooting the puck, causing her to fall. In that event, no penalty is to be assessed.

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Situation: Unnecessary Roughness (Roughing)
What is the USA Hockey interpretation of Rule 640 (Unnecessary Roughness) in "No Check" hockey? Is a penalty required every time body contact is made?

Response:  No.  Rule Reference 640 (b, Note).  
The rule does not require a penalty every time there is body contact between a puck carrier and an opponent. The rule is to be applied when a player deliberately plays a puck carrier's body rather than the puck. It is considered a violation of this rule if a player impedes the movement of a puck-carrying opponent by pushing or shoving her with the hands or arms, or deliberately contacting her with a shoulder, hip or other part of the torso.

However, considerable body contact between puck carrier and opponents will occur that should not be considered "body checking" and should not be penalized, providing there has been no overt hip, shoulder or arm movement knocking the opponent off the puck. Also, if a puck carrier attempts to go through too small a gap between the boards and a stationary opponent, providing the opponent makes no overt move to check the puck carrier with her hands or body, no "body checking" penalty should be called following the inevitable collision.

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