ANKLEBENDER

This is what creates such confusion with fans, parents, and newer officals for that matter. There is a black and while rule book with clearly defined actions and options for penalties. However, there is "spirit & intent" of the rule that officials learn as they develop to higher levels. Officials who apply this "grey area" aka "game management" effectivly are able to move on to upper levels and probably the ones most want on their games. Unfortuantely, when it comes to playoff time, some of the early developing officals try to make a name for themselves or overthink calls. This is why you sometimes see off the wall penalties called in playoff rounds as opposed to the regular season. Also, USAH High-School Nationals were last weekend at Ice-Line in West-Chester. I suspect the officials working the games were in this mindset with national supervisors in the area. With possible national supervisors in the building, the ref may have made the call to show they have the "courage" to make that call in a big game...or out of "fear" that if they didn't make the call or call a lesser penalty, they may lose an opportunity to move on to a higher level. Again, the player opened the door and put the refs in the position to make a grey area call that 1/2 the people will always say was right and 1/2 will say was wrong no matter what reasoning is provided. By rule was it a "spear" ? - Yes. Did the action fall under "spirit & intent" of the rule? - No. Many times officials call half ass spears and "cup-checks" as slashing during the regular season, why change in the playoffs/championship? Could the ref have called slashing on this play (possible additional 10 min misconduct dependiing on how the game was going at that point), with high level coaches on each bench, in a close state championship game, knowing that GM's and Match penalties carry over to the teams after the player ages out, and nobody including supervisors would have been any the wiser? Probably, but they didn't, they went with 5+G (though I was told the call was a Match)

There was an overtime winning goal that went through the net in a 16U game Saturday night at Alpha....that was pretty interesting.

CHMA should move to D2. There would be more competitive non-conference competition and would fair much better at nationals.

Just an observtion by officiatng their games. I don't look at rankings much. I've noticed the players and team play noticeably improve (feeling if I actually notice it while doing their games, i feel safe to say significant) comparitive to the same teams they've played over the past few seasons. Not saying they have improved more than the other same teams they play each year, but noticed they've played them better or have increased their competitveness. As I said, I have no analytics to back this up, just what I have seen 1st hand.

I can see BB wanting Alpha to sell as they have a great location and multiple streams of revenue. The tourny business hosts in other cities, plus the scheduling platform with BB SuperSeries under contract along with Hockeytime, TCS, and others....It would be turnkey and all BB would have to do is add sponsorship to the rink names.

The Aviators moving to the McKight Center @ Shadyside Academy with Eric Tangradi leading the program may be a good option. It's new and unproven, but I would be willing to give it a chance seeing that he has improved the Prep team significantly. I forsee there being more attention to detail with them being a smaller organization with his calibar of leadership.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/news/hockey-canada-scandal-sexual-assault-2018-world-juniors-team/hhc54xdapaqx5l29kuimp09g I’m assuming this is why Carter Hart took indefinite leave of absence from Flyers yesterday. Anyone know the other 4 players?

From what I was told, and this is hearsay, not confirmed. When USAH adoped this, MN High-School Hockey threatened to leave USAH and go AAU, which is why USAH agreed to keep USAH High School exempt from the change.

I agree, the players have adapted and the higher the skill level you go, the less inadvertant offside calls there are. Some officials try to let an inadvertant offside go when the defending team gets possesion and immediatly brings the puck back out of their zone. From what I remember, back when I played in the 90s, USAH elimiated delayed offsides for I want to say 4 years (2 rulebooks at the time). I also remember USAH didn't like a player coming out of the penalty box getting a breakaway chance, so there was a rule that you had to tag your defensive zone 1st, prior to taking a lead pass behind the defense. Anyway, my guess to why this happened was that in the 2000's, the top defenseman getting drafted to NHL were american born. USAH must have evaulated this and decided to impliment it again 2019-21, but wanted to ease it in starting with 14U and below. USAH Rule Book is now 4 years and it was stated back then that it would change to 18U for the next RB edition in 2021-25 since the kids were exposed to the system. However, there seems to be a consensus that USAH is going back to delayed offsides for the 2025-2029 edition. We will know this summer as you can go online right now and submit rule changes for approval at the summer meeting, since next season is the final year of this RB edition. They do it with a year remaining because they need time to republish the next rule book for 2025-2026 season. Also, in reguards to "Icing on the penalty kill". This rule change had been discussed for a while at both USAH and NCAA levels. USAH adopted it but NCAA has not, though it may in the near future. The reason behind the USAH change was to also help development and create more offense for both teams. There is also an argument that you should not be allowed to break a rule when you have already broken a rule. USAH did research and found that being allowed to 'ice the puck' while killing a penalty was not an "original" rule and was implimented by the NHL to help teams in the 1930s, because the Montreal Canadians were to good. It was just never changed back when the other teams got more competitive. I have noticed that it did help skill level and created more offense with more short-handed goals. Kids now forced to gain the red line and catching teams not prepared to defend. Likewise, it helps create powerplay goals since kids get exposed trying to gain the red line. Coaches that still instruct their young players to "ice the puck" are not doing them any justice. ...Wanted to give everyone some insight.

My man lol...hopefully more do the same, but I think it is few and far between. Remember, ACHA/NCAA, JR, Pro all have different rule books w/different rule variations

It was 14u and under for the last rule book, they added 15U-18U for 2021-2025 rule book... I'm not trying to slight you, but this is another example of people who do not keep up with rule changes or could open the current rule book to get the information.

It is USAH Youth rule, so covers all "youth" aka "amature" 18U and below. However, High-School is not USAH Youth, it is a different division like USAH Adult, USAH Sled, etc... and is exempt from those youth rule changes. All of this is actually stated in the USAH rule-book, but most parents and even coaches don't read it.....another example is an icing error face-off does NOT go to center ice. It is a "last play where the puck is located" situation (attacking zone of team that legally iced the puck, but the official mistakenly blew play dead). This rule was changed around 15 years ago, but every time it happens, some moron in the stands is yelling "center-ice" like they have a clue.

I agree. D2 seems to be set up same way and coincidentally is also geographical except you would need to switch BC & Knoch, which would benifit the lower teams in D2 Gold. In Class A, seems it would be beneficial for everyone if QV, Montour, and WA switched divisions with Plum, Richland, and Hampton

UNC arena plans

Link to Video https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/nnpmt3e4h5338gg4o78yb/IMG_5102.mov?rlkey=yrtbsu2yvr3511007mzze9tax&dl=0