Penalty for covering the puck in certain places?

[cloudnine]

At one of my games, the forward tried to wrap around, but puts it off of the side of the net. So I cover it on the side of the net, about a half-foot behind the goal line. After the game, my mom tells me that I took a delay of game penalty for covering it behind the net. Why am I not allowed to do that, even though I see goalies in the NCAA and NHL doing that, and are there any other places where I would not be allowed to freze the puck?

Jon

[sloth2946]

The rule as it is stated is that a goalie must be within the goal crease when covering a puck. Now that rule is usually ignored for the most part, but if you get a hard ass ref they will call it. If you are in that situation again reach back with a pad or an arm or something to get it into the crease so he has no call. Also, in USA Hockey rules, if you do not have an opponent within a short distance of you and coming towards you, you MUST move the puck. This is something I have been scolded about with some refs, but I let them know I am aware of the rule and next time will do my best to play it. Now what I do is if in doubt I grab the puck and dart towards the nearest opponent.

[KDB]

The USA Hockey rules states:

"A minor penalty shall be imposed on a goalkeeper who deliberately falls on or gathers the puck into his body, when his body is entirely outside the boundaries of the goal crease and the puck is behind the goal line or when the puck is outside the boundaries of the "goalkeeper's priveleged area,"...

Sounds like the ref was wrong to me, as long as you had a leg in your crease.

The weird thing to me is that the goalkeeper's priveleged area is described as extending back to the end boards. So a puck behind the net is still in the priveleged area. So what good is extending the priveleged area back to the boards? I thought it might be for the charging rule, but:

"A minor penalty or a major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to a player who bodychecks or charges a goalkeeper while the goalkeeper is within the goal crease or privileged area.

A goalkeeper is not "fair game" just because the goalkeeper is outside the privileged area. A penalty for interference or charging must be assessed in every case where an opposing player makes unnecessary contact with a goalkeeper. "

Which sounds to me like the priveleged area isn't even necessary...

So what good is extending the privelged area past the goal line if you can't cover the puck and it doesn't matter for charging?

[sloppy]

I've had refs point this out to me also. Although I was never penalised, I get around it now by hooking my toe against a post while I sprawl behind or off to the side of the net in a bellyflop.

Hah.

I guess some rules are enforced dependant on the score of the game and eveness of team strengths.

[TartanBill]

The priveleged area is a rectangle defined by the face off dots and the goal line. You may cover the puck while it is behind the goal line so long as you have some part of your body within the crease. You may not use the net, however, to trap the puck. For example, jamming the puck against the base of the net could get your useless forward two minutes.

[stollie_the_goalie]

I cover the puck behind the goal line at least 3 times per game, and I've even covered the puck out past the top of the circle to prevent a breakaway. But sometimes I'll get hard refs who'll tell me that it was my fault that some stupid forward facewashed me because I covered the puck when he was only about 10 feet away. Oh well.

[Timberwoof]

I've had referees interpret these rules differently from game to game, so for a while I always asked them ahead of time to explain it to me.

"Ref, I'm consused about the goalie's privileged area. Where is it and what does it mean?"

I'd get different answers... face-off circles, face-off dots ... but I'd *know* how each ref called it because he told me ahead of time.

I was never able to get a straight answer out of the league manager, either. I'm playing in a different league now...

[cloudnine]

To clear up a few things, m entire body was in the crease, save for my arm that I reached back behind the goal line. Also, I covered it like you would cover any loose puck, not pinning it against the side of the net. The funny thing is, that there have been times before when I have covered the puck entirely out of my crease, like between the face-off dots, gotten a whistle and not a penalty. Oh well.

Jon

[KDB]

Sorry, Tartan, you're incorrect (at least according to USA Hockey):

"The goalkeeper's "PRIVILEGED AREA" is an area bounded in the rear by the end boards, in front by an imaginary line connecting the end zone face-off spots and on the sides by imaginary lines extending perpendicular from the end boards to the end zone face-off spots. "

Hence, my confusion...

[TartanBill]

A striped jersey cannot confer wisdom. Some, more than others, will blow calls and rules. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sounds like you lost one this time.

Remember also, you can get a delay of game if you cover without forechecking pressure, regardless of the priveleged area.

[StartingGoalie]

In my league it is probably the area in between the faceoff dots, posts, and boards. A goalie I faced a year ago would skate out of his net AT the dots and then grabbed the puck off of our player's stick and covered it.
And no penalties against him, PLUS a shutout, or near so.
It sounds like the penalty shouldn't have been called, but as an unknown prophecy states:
(No offense to any refs out there)
I'm blind, I'm deaf, I wanna be a ref!

[Joe]

Well there is always the sure fire test to tell what the ref is gonna be like before the puck drops.....if he is under 5'5", has a bushy mustache and small feet you're in for a long night!

[BKLYNNetminder]

One time, I covered the puck while I had three players right around me. The thing is, two of them were pushing an opposing player away, yet I still got a tongue lashing from the ref. who later threatened to give me a two min. minor.

[CPCGoalie]

Originally posted by sloth2946
Now what I do is if in doubt I grab the puck and dart towards the nearest opponent.

i like your thinking.is this alowed or would you called for closing your hand on the puck or something?

[stollie_the_goalie]

Originally posted by Joe
Well there is always the sure fire test to tell what the ref is gonna be like before the puck drops.....if he is under 5'5", has a bushy mustache and small feet you're in for a long night!

Oh my God...

Does having Coke bottle glasses and wearing leather gloves add to the equation?