Horror stories about the devastating injuries suffered because
of checks from behind are known in every corner of the hockey world. The
Canadian Hockey Association began a long, uphill battle to stop these hits in 1993
with the introduction of Rule 53. Checking From Behind. It was then
and has been ever since, a rules emphasis. For those not in the officiating
loop, rules emphases are put out by the CHA every year telling referees which
rules are to be most strictly enforced. They are the same as the NHL
"crack-downs" we hear about but usually with a different focus.
They usually are not focused as much on how the game looks from the stands but
how safe it is at ice level. Checking From Behind has been a hotly
debated topic among players, coaches, spectators, and, believe it or not, referees.
Referees often are the most fervent advocates against rule changes and emphases but they
are bound by the CHA's rulings -- to an extent.
The letter of the rule is tricky. Sometimes analyzing it closely gives
you a wrong impression of its intent, but other times, as in the case of Rule
53, it gives you more insight. This rule is likely one of the hardest to
wrap your head all the way around which only seems right, since it is probably
the most important one in the book. So how is this rule worded?
But, more to the point, what does it really say?
"53. Checking from Behind
(a) A Minor penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty or a Major penalty and a
Game Misconduct penalty at the discretion of the referee, based on the degree of violence of
impact, shall be assessed any player who
intentionally pushes, body checks, or hits an opposing player from behind anywhere on
the ice. If a player is injured, a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty
must be assessed. A Match penalty could also be assessed under this
rule."
So, what about a defenceman pushing a forward out of the slot? What
if he shoves him in the lower back and knocks him down? Since it is
"anywhere on the ice," it is, by the book, a minimum of a Minor penalty and a Game
Misconduct for Checking From Behind. If you call it just that way you are well outside the spirit of the rule, not to mention you will
not referee long without receiving some sort of injury or hearing loss. On the
plus side, you would get to gome home early plenty of nights when you throw out
every defenceman you see; quickly one team will have fewer than six
position players and the game will be over.
"(b) Where a player is high sticked, cross-checked, body checked,
pushed, hit or propelled in any manner from behind into the boards or goal net, in
such a way that the player is unable to protect or defend herself, a Match
penalty shall be assessed. Note: Referees are instructed not to substitute other penalties where a
player is checked from behind in this manner. This rule must be strictly enforced."
This is where there is no discretion for the referee. The wording here can
be tricky. At first glance it seems obvious that no player can
protect himself from a hit from behind; he does not know it is coming. If
that is the case, then all contact from behind near the boards or net calls for a
Match penalty. When put that way, it is obvious that the first reaction is
not the right one. What 53(b) is actually referring to is protecting
oneself from impact with the boards or the net. Depending on how
much time a player has, he will manage to put up an arm or twist a shoulder in such
a way that his head does not take the full force of impact with the boards.
In that way he is protecting himself from impact with the boards. If
no body part defends against impact with the boards/net then you have a Match
penalty. The referee has no choice here; that is what the note says.
Usually there is not a whole lot of argument once this is explained properly to
the captain or coach.
There is still the problem with 53(a). Plainly, it states that all
contact from behind carries a Game Misconduct penalty. This simply is not
true and is not the intent of the rule.
"Clarifications:
1. Checking from Behind entails that contact with the player being checked
takes place in the back part of the body.
2. Where a player about to be checked turns and, as a result, creates contact with the
back, a penalty shall be assessed to the player
delivering the check for Checking from Behind.
3. The intent of this interpretation is not to penalize a player who comes
up behind an opponent and and in the process of playing the puck, makes unintentional contact with the
back part of the body of the player being checked.
4. Riding off, pinching or rubbing a player shall be permitted as long as
no intentional contact occurs to teh back part of the player, except as provided under rule 50 (b) -
Boarding and Bodychecking - in divisions of Atom and below and Female Hockey.
5. The determining factor for Checking from Behind versus Cross-Checking
is whether or not the player applying the check is in motion. If the player
is stationery and Cross-Checks an opponent from behind then a penalty for Cross-Checking should be
assessed. If the player is in motion and Cross-Checks an opponent from behind, then a
penalty for Checking from Behind shall be called. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, if a
player is cross-checked from behind into the boards or the goal net, the Checking
from Behind shall be called."
Built into the rule, via the clarifications, is a grey area; there is room
for discretion and judgement. The type of push mentioned above, in front
of the net, can be seen within the scope of Clarification #5 -- if the player
making the check is standing still then, unless it ought to be penalized under any other rule, is not a penalty. So you might have roughing,
interference, cross-checking or any number of infractions, but when the hitter is standing
still you do not have a penalty for Checking from
Behind.
The Case Book goes on from there with [i] Additional Guidelines to All
Officials[/i]. These emphasize the danger of hits from behind. So, in the situation above, where the player is
pushed in front of the net, if there
is significant force and the checkee's head snaps back then a penalty for Checking from Behind should be called. Because of this consistent
emphasis on the injury prevention, it is clear that the purpose of the rule is to
penalize the checks that can potentially cause injury. Though a slight
push in the back that causes a player to glide into the boards and put his
hands on the glass is, by the letter of the rule, Checking from Behind, it is
usually not dangerous. In the vast majority of incidences these checks are
foreseen by the checkee. Once again, the checks in question are not severe
checks but smaller shoves and pushes. In that case wherein a player is: pushed into the
boards from behind but with very small force, he foresees and expects the check, he is
prepared for the check and there is no intention on the part of the checker to slam that
player into the boards,
no penalty is necessary. The assessment of such penalties is not the intent
of the rule. There is nothing wrong with that type of push; it is not dangerous. It is
when the level of impact increases and the intent of checker begins to lean toward
intimidation, punishment or malice that Checking from Behind becomes one of the game's
most important impact
calls. It is now that Game Management is needed; a referee must decide, in each
instance, which type of impact from behind he has just seen. There is only
one way to develop good Game Management in this and in every other game situation: the
Braille method.
