Penalty Shots And Covered Pucks in the Crease

[timelydew]

I have a question about covering/falling/concealing the puck in the crease and penalty shots/minor penalties.

 

The rule, firstly:

"No defending player, except the goalkeeper, will be permitted to fall on the puck, hold the puck, pick up the puck, or gather the puck into the body or hands when the puck is within the goal crease. For infringement of this rule, play shall immediately be stopped and a Penalty shot shall be ordered against the offending team, but no other penalty shall be given. The rule shall be interpreted so that a penalty shot will be awarded only when the puck is in the crease at the instant the offense occurs. However, in cases where the puck is outside the crease, Rule 63 may still apply and a minor penalty may be imposed, even though no penalty shot is awarded. The significant factor when determining whether or not a penalty shot is warranted is the location of the puck at the time it was held, grabbed or gathered into the body. If the puck is in the crease, penalty shot. If the puck is outside the crease and gathered into the body of a player (other than the goalkeeper) who is inside the crease, minor penalty). See also Rule 67 – Handling Puck."

 

All I want to ask is, can a player "push", sweep, or bat the puck, which is in the crease, into and under his body which is outside the crease, as long as he doesn't actually cover it or hold it, etc, while it's in the blue paint? In other words, must it actually be concealed or covered in the crease for the penalty shot to occur? If it's batted (but not covered) into his prone body lying outside the crease, is it just subject to a possible minor penalty for delay of game when the whistle blows? Assume he deliberately gathers it into and under his body.

 

The USA Hockey rule is written almost verbatim to the NHL rule here, and their casebook describes my scenario as a minor penalty. Just double checking the nhl interpretation. Here is that USA casebook excerpt (pay particular attention to the last sentence where my situation is alluded to):

 

"Situation 4 The puck is in the goal crease. A defending player, lying on the ice outside of the crease, places his hand on the puck and pulls it out of the crease and into his body, thereby causing a stoppage of play. Does this situation call for a penalty shot? Yes. Rule Reference 614(b). The location of the puck at the instant it is covered or held is the determining factor as to whether or not a penalty shot is to be awarded. If the player bats the puck out of the crease and into his body, only a minor penalty would be assessed to the player so doing."

[WordsOfWisdom]

7 hours ago, timelydew said:

All I want to ask is, can a player "push", sweep, or bat the puck, which is in the crease, into and under his body which is outside the crease, as long as he doesn't actually cover it or hold it, etc, while it's in the blue paint? In other words, must it actually be concealed or covered in the crease for the penalty shot to occur?

 

My understanding is that the nanosecond a player puts their hand around the puck to bat it away (which is what most players do), it's a penalty shot.

 

In practice however, the referee never sees this happen because the play happens too quickly, and no referee has the stones to call a penalty shot late in the game with a team down by a goal and the extra attacker on the ice (which is usually when this stuff occurs). 

 

Long story short: it doesn't get called. The player has to literally grab the puck and hold it with both hands for 10 seconds before the referee would call a penalty on this one.