Body Checks
Running Start – Defenseless Player
| Correct Call: | At the high school level this should be a defenseless player. The dark player’s head is down focusing on the ball, and the white player has a long running start when he hits the dark player. 2-3 minutes non-releasable. | |
| For this not to be a penalty: | The white player needs to stop before he gets to the dark player. When contact is made, it needs to not be violent or excessive. If contact is not violent or excessive and the dark player still falls down, after the white player stops before contact, this would not be a penalty. | |
| Game Level: | This should be called at every level. |
Body check into falling down player
| Correct Call: | This one is tricky. The defenseman clearly pulls back and tries to stop but does collide with the falling down attackman. We need to get consistent on this type of play. Reason this should be a penalty: The defenseman’s hands still make contact with the falling player’s head. Reason this should not be a penalty: The defenseman clearly tries to stop and should the falling attackman be considered a player that is turning? If the player didn’t fall, would the check have been legal? Even though contact comes after the shot, I don’t think it would have been unnecessary roughness, because the defensive player does pull back. |
Shooter runs into defenseman after the shot
| Correct Call: | Unnecessary Roughness. 1 min. While the shooting players speed carries him into the defender, the defender makes a clear attempt to body check the shooter, even after the ball has been out of his stick for a couple seconds. | |
| For this to not be a penalty: | The body check would need to come sooner, or as the shooter runs into the defenseman, make more of an effort to not extend his hands and just stand there, or step aside. | |
| Game Level: | This should be called at all levels. |