NCAA Rules meeting

[RichH]

Anyone see this?

http://www.uscho.com/news/id,12647/ReportOnNCAAIceHockeyRulesCommitteeMeeting.html

Nothing incredibly major.  Reemphasis on the crackdown on hitting from behind, a minor rule change on icing, and what looks like a gentle push to get every league to implement a 2-ref, 2-linesman system.  Some trickle-down icing rule changes from the NHL may be coming (under "Experimental Rules")

Things that raised my eyebrows are towards the bottom of the article:

"Eliminating ties. It is the committee's intent to develop a procedure to eliminate ties in the game, no later than the 2008-09 season."

"Hand passes. The committee is asking for feedback to either eliminate hand passes all together or allow them in all areas of the ice to establish consistency."

Interesting.  I'm in favor of keeping ties around, but I would love to see a game where all hand passes are allowed.  Wait...no I wouldn't.

[redice]

If they're going to use the shootout to eliminate ties, that's bad news for Cornell.   Their strength is a strong defensive system and I question whether they will have the snipers that would win shootouts.   Since hockey is a team game, I have always felt that shootouts are a less than ideal way to break a tie.   That said, shootouts are entertaining (but only when our team wins).

[KeithK]

[q]Conferences and teams are encouraged to implement these rules experimentally in exhibitions or in conference games.

1. When a team is shorthanded, that team is not allowed to ice the puck.[/q]What the f---?  You've got to be kidding me.

Overall I get the feeling from these kinds of articles that the committee just feels the need to tinker with things.  Not to make things better, but because thye can.

[ugarte]

[quote KeithK][q]Conferences and teams are encouraged to implement these rules experimentally in exhibitions or in conference games.

1. When a team is shorthanded, that team is not allowed to ice the puck.[/q]What the f---?  You've got to be kidding me.

Overall I get the feeling from these kinds of articles that the committee just feels the need to tinker with things.  Not to make things better, but because thye can.[/quote]But you tell me what was more exciting: the end of Germany - Argentina, or Germany - Italy?

Um...

[ebilmes]

I agree that Cornell is not a shootout team. I remember feeling we were very lucky to have won the shootout vs. UMD this year, especially given the terrible shots some of our guys (OB?) were taking in the shootout.

Calling icing on the PP would just be ridiculous IMO.

[David Harding]

[q]Embellishment. The committee is concerned with what seems to be an increase in players using deceptive tactics to draw penalties. While the focus on obstruction and hitting from behind may have contributed, embellishment must be penalized. When players gain and [sic] advantage and draw a penalty, they must trust officials to make the call and not embellish the penalty.
[/q] This is also interesting, especially considering the recent discussion on diving in soccer.

[RedFromLJ]

Absolutely.

I remember once, last year, a Cornell player got a penalty for hitting from behind AND the supposed victim got 2 minutes for diving...I struggled to imagine a universe where this was logically sound, but quickly became dizzy.

Calling icing on the Penalty Kill? You've got to be kidding me. Ice-Hockey's off-sides rules make defending a tactical endevour that's exciting to watch: There's great skill in forcing the puck beyond the blue line, forcing the offense to circle out and then come back in...Forcing that neutral-ice circling just might be the most beautiful part of the whole game.

Removing the ability to force this when down a man would lead to a substantial amount of Power-play goals; it almost guarantees this.

For some reason this rule change feels equivalent to there being no "Roughing the Passer" rule in the XFL...It sounds like it could lead to more excitement on the playing surface, but after the first time it goes wrong we'd all  recoil in disgust.

[Will]

[quote RedFromLJ]Removing the ability to force this when down a man would lead to a substantial amount of Power-play goals; it almost guarantees this.[/quote]

As I see it, that's the whole point.  They want to see more 8-7 games.  The 3OT 1-0 goaltender duel, by contrast, is their nightmare scenario (and lucky for them, only a possibility in the postseason at the current time).  They think more scoring equates with more excitement.  I respectfully disagree.

[KeithK]

[quote David Harding][q]Embellishment. The committee is concerned with what seems to be an increase in players using deceptive tactics to draw penalties. While the focus on obstruction and hitting from behind may have contributed, embellishment must be penalized. When players gain and [sic] advantage and draw a penalty, they must trust officials to make the call and not embellish the penalty.
[/q] This is also interesting, especially considering the recent discussion on diving in soccer.[/quote]If they actually enforce this rule would Minnesota ever again win a game against a defensive minded foe?

(OK Keith, it's been 16 months.  Let it go...)

[Robb]

[quote RedFromLJ]
I remember once, last year, a Cornell player got a penalty for hitting from behind AND the supposed victim got 2 minutes for diving...I struggled to imagine a universe where this was logically sound, but quickly became dizzy.
[/quote]
I never get this.  If I punch you in the face, and you punch me in the face, we're both wrong and we're both going to the box for it.  If I trip you and you embellish it, we are both wrong, and we both deserve to go to the box for it.

[Josh '99]

[quote RichH]Interesting.  I'm in favor of keeping ties around, but I would love to see a game where all hand passes are allowed.  Wait...no I wouldn't.[/quote]We already have that game.  It's called basketball.

[KeithK]

[quote jmh30][quote RichH]Interesting.  I'm in favor of keeping ties around, but I would love to see a game where all hand passes are allowed.  Wait...no I wouldn't.[/quote]We already have that game.  It's called basketball.[/quote]The article makes it sound like it's somehow confusing to the players and referees to only have hand passes legal in the defensive zone.  Come on, this isn't rocket science (trust me).  Yes, some fans take a while to pick up the distinction but those fans ar eusually just there for the fights and checks anyway.

[DeltaOne81]

[quote RichH]minor rule change on icing[/quote]

Also known as the rule that turned icing in the NHL's version of the NBA's traveling.

i.e. we basically don't call it anymore unless its incredibly blatant