HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

I can see how that might be frustrating. There is a grey area in the crease rule this year, where a player can be in the crease and not impeding the goalie in any way. If this is the case, then play should continue. A goal can even be allowed if this is happening. If she does impede the goalie in any way, the whistle should be blown. As for the interference, can't comment on those calls as I was not there. I was at the 3AA Final last night. And even though there was a lot of body contact happening, the referees seemed to let the players play, and call what was needed. Welch is an outstanding player, and Eagan didn't give her much space.

Section 2A final:
New Prague 2
Mankato West 0
End of the first

Warroad 2
Roseau 3

Final

Final:

New Prague 2, Mankato West 0

Class A - Section 2 Girls Hockey
New Prague 2, Mankato West 0 F

Class A - Section 8 Girls Hockey
Roseau 3, Warroad 2 F

Class AA - Section 7 Girls Hockey
Grand Rapids/Greenway 4, Duluth Area 1 F

I have talked to several people at the game and their report is:
New Prague-8
Mankato W- 1

Final was 8-1. Don't know where everyone is coming up with 2-0.

hockeystud26 wrote:Final was 8-1. Don't know where everyone is coming up with 2-0.

It was posted as 2-0 on Minnesota-Scores.net. I also just see that the 2-0 score is coming up on the MGHCA site as the score after the first period. The final stats should be updated shortly.

MGHCA score has now been fully updated and the final was 8-1. Mankato West could not stop New Prague's Kacy Ambroz, who ended up with 5 goals and 1 assist!

GOPHER16 wrote:

I can see how that might be frustrating. There is a grey area in the crease rule this year, where a player can be in the crease and not impeding the goalie in any way. If this is the case, then play should continue. A goal can even be allowed if this is happening. If she does impede the goalie in any way, the whistle should be blown.

There actually is no grey area. The crease rule is the same as it was last year with one exception. If a player is found to be in the crease when a goal is scored and the player is not interferring with the goaltender, the goal will be allowed. This does not change the rule where a player's skate or stick(yes stick) is in the crease, while their team is in possesion and control of the puck, in the attacking zone, and the goalie is in the crease. This is an immediate stoppage of play. The new rule is meant mainly for the state tournament where instant replay is used on all goals. Too many goals were disallowed as the result of the replay show a skate or stick in the crease and the MSHSL instituted this experimental interpretation.

mnreferee1 wrote: "If a player is found to be in the crease when a goal is scored and the player is not interferring with the goaltender, the goal will be allowed."

"This does not change the rule where a player's skate or stick(yes stick) is in the crease, while their team is in possesion and control of the puck, in the attacking zone, and the goalie is in the crease. This is an immediate stoppage of play."

I find this to be a little contradictory. Presumably, when a goal is scored with a non-interferring player in the crease, her team must have been in possession of the puck and somebody shot it in. But no whistle blew and stopped play just before the shot, which must mean the ref missed the crease violation and they allow the goal to stand anyway, just because too many replays were disallowing goals in the state tournament? If this is correct than I think the rule change was a poor decision.

My interpretation aside, here is the actual verbiage from the MSHSL website.

Minnesota Goal Crease Rule

The NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Committee has approved for use in all games played in Minnesota an experimental rule relating to goals scored when a player is illegally in the goal crease. This rule will count those goals which are scored when an offensive player or player's stick is illegally in the goal crease but, in the opinion of the referee, the player or stick illegally in the goal crease had no impact on the goalkeeper's ability to defend the goal when the puck entered the goal.

A player illegally in the goal crease impacts the goalkeeper's ability to defend the goal when:

1. The player makes physical contact with the goalkeeper; or

2. The player prevents the goalkeeper from moving freely in the goal crease; or

3. The player screens the goalkeeper or otherwise interferes with the goalkeeper's ability to defend the goal, even though no physical contact is made with the goalkeeper.

A goal may not be scored by a shot, deflection off, or tip-in by a player who is initially illegally in the goal crease.

This rule does not allow players to position themselves in the goal crease, skate through the goal crease, or otherwise interfere with the goalkeeper in the goal crease. In those situations, the referee should still blow the whistle to stop play and conduct a neutral zone face-off. This rule is NOT the same as similar NHL and NCAA rules, which do permit offensive players to position themselves in the goal crease.

This rule only addresses situations where a player is illegally in the goal crease. It is important to remember that the following are all situations where a player may legally be in the goal crease:

1. The puck is in the goal crease;

2. The goalkeeper is out of the goal crease;

3. The offensive team does not have possession of the puck; or

4. A defensive player has pushed the offensive player into the goal crease and the offensive player has not had sufficient time or ability to get out of the goal crease.

Well a rule is a rule and obviously the referees have to follow them. But this one is pretty strange in that the ref is supposed to blow the whistle and stop play whenever they see an offensive player in the crease, or even has their stick in the crease. But when this occurs and a goal is scored (with no offensive interference) the goal is allowed to stand.

It was good to see that "a player illegally in the goal crease impacts the goalkeeper's ability to defend the goal when....the player screens the goalkeeper..." But this is a really tough one to judge, as things happen so quickly around the net and the question becomes where was the offensive player stationed as the shot was being taken. Was she directly in front of the goalie, or just a little off to the side at the time and the goalie could "probably" see it? It requires the ref to see two things at once - the position of the offending player and her teammate that's shooting - as well as the angle of the player screening in relation to the goalie and shooter, and the timing of it all. The old rule was easier to call correctly, as the ref only had to be looking in the direction of the net, and if an offensive player was in the crease as the puck was going in, it was ruled no goal.

Too much to ask IMO, and it's just one more reason why I wouldn't want to be a referee!

Hibbing: 0
Eveleth: 0

Mid 1st

End of 1 from Cloquet

Hibbing: 0
Eveleth: 0

Bemidji 1
ER 2

end of the first

Bemidji shots 21
ER shots 6

EdenPrairie 2
Edina 1

1st intermission

Bemidji 1
ER 3

beginning of 2nd

End of 2 from Cloquet

Hibbing: 3
Eveleth: 0

Bemidji 1
ER 3

shots

Bem 30
ER 15

2nd intermission

Edina 3
Eden Prairie 3

Second Intermission

chickendance wrote:Edina 3
Eden Prairie 3

Second Intermission

what a great game! I am listening at this link:
http://www.mnsportsnetwork.com/#msbnchannel3

Bemidji 2
ER 3

12:38 left in the 3rd

Bemidji 2
ER 4

at the 8 minute mark of the 3rd

Bemidji 2
ER 5

at the 9:53mark ofthe 3rd