Linesman Procedures

“Game plan”

Why have procedures?

Procedures – Pre-game– During game– After game

Summation

Linesman Procedures

Why have procedures?

– Procedures act as a ”manual” for the various situations an official encounter during a game

– Procedures will help both the seasoned as well as the inexperienced official deal effectively with such situations

Pre-game

Pre-game checks– Go through procedures with team of officials in the dressing room – Assist referee in checking that rink is safe for players– Check goal-nets– Count players

During game

Face-off – focus points– In the 2001/02 season the IIHF introduced a new face-off procedure. It

is imperative that linesmen remember that the wish to speed up the game must not remove the focus to deliver a quality face-off.

– Linesmen are recommended to show flexibility towards the 5 second period if ”extra” time is necessary to deliver a quality face-off

– Video “Gold medal importance!”

During game

Face-off– Ensure no altercations are in progress

• Check for potential danger– Linesman who stopped play proceed to face-off spot

• Keep players in view – stay alert!– Other linesman retrieve puck

• Hustle!– Ensure referee has dropped arm

• If possible – establish eye contact– Blow whistle

• Do not ”over or under” do it– Drop puck

• Remember correct stance (feet shoulder width apart) and correct drop (out and down)

– Exit face off• Backwards towards boards, keeping out of the play

During game

Offside (no delayed off-side)– Raise arm and blow whistle

• Crisp and clear signal – clear and audible whistle

– Bring arm down along with line• Crisp and clear signal

– Ensure no altercations are in progress• Check for potential danger

– Proceed to face-off spot and wait for retrieving linesman

• Keep players in view – stay alert!

– Take position at blue line opposite face-off• Hustle!

During game

Offside (delayed)– Raise arm to indicate ”delayed offside”

• Crisp and clear signal – remember that no goals can be scored while delayed offside is in effect

– If all attacking players clear zone – call out ”okay” and lower arm

• Crisp and clear signal – audible call– If attacking players are lingering in the zone – call out

”offside” to warn players• Audible call – warn once

– If attacking players participates in play (touches puck, attempts a check, chases puck) blow whistle

• Determine if the offside is ”normal or ”intentional”– Follow off-side procedure

• If intentional offside is called – face-off at end zone spot in other end

During game

Working the line– Be at blue line prior to play

• Being at the blue line prior to the play will allow the linesman to make a correct call

– Take position so optimum view of play is attained as play crosses blue line

• It is OK to ”work the line” in order to get the best view of the play

– After making call return immediately to correct position outside blue line

• Quickly clear the zone in order not to get in the way of players or the play

Working the line

During gameIcing - back linesman

– Raise arm• Crisp and clear signal – establish eye contact with other

linesman to ensure that signal is received

– Move up and be ready to cover the other blue line if icing is washed out

• If the icing is washed out, cover the blue line, remember the players behind the play!

– When icing has been called, signal ”icing”, point to relevant face-off spot

• Crisp and clear signals

– Ensure no altercations are in progress• Check for potential danger

– Proceed to face-off spot• Skate backwards towards face-off spot and keep players in view

– hustle!

During game

Icing - front linesman (1)– Receive signal from back linesman

• Establish eye contact – nod – good teamwork is essential!– Follow puck

• Follow the puck in deep to make sure it crosses the red line– At blue line – check that icing is still in effect

• Check with other linesman that icing is still in effect – establish eye contact and nod if possible

– Check for defending players who are able to play the puck

• If defending players are able to play the puck and refuses to do so, wash out the icing

– Call icing• Clear and audible whistle

– Ensure no altercations are in progress• Check for potential danger

During game

Icing - front linesman (2)– Proceed to relevant face-off spot

• Keep players in view – hustle!

During game

Following penalty situation– When referee signals a delayed penalty, back linesman

should move to center ice and watch the goalie/player substitution

• If a premature substitution is made – stop play and inform referee

– When call is made – skate to penalized player• Do not overreact, but be alert! Remember to keep other players

in view as well

– Escort player to penalty bench/exit• Establish which linesman will do the escort (if players from both

teams are penalized, both linesman escorts the players – if so – keep between players!) and which linesman retrieves the puck/watches the remaining players. Good teamwork is essential!

– Proceed to correct position• Hustle!

During game

Following the scoring of a goal– Front linesman shall skate into end-zone – back linesman

shall position himself between teams• Both linesmen should be alert for potential problems – goals

scored brings both joy and frustration

– Ensure no altercations are in progress• Check for potential danger

– Front linesman retrieves puck and proceeds to center ice• Keep players in view – hustle!

– Back linesman shall report any assists to the referee if asked – then proceed to correct position

• If possible, establish eye contact with referee. Take up position at the bench of the team who just scored a goal to prevent unnecessary complaining from the team just scored upon

During game

During a time-out– Both linesmen takes position in or near the referee’s

crease• Keep players in full view – use opportunity to correct any small

misunderstandings.

During game

Repairing the ice or goal net– When repairing the ice or goal net make sure that at least

one official keeps all players in full view• Repairs must be undertaken with a minimum delay

• Linesmen should carry laces in their pocket for quick repairs of the goal net

• Always check goal nets upon ending of period

During game

Stoppage of play – dislodged goal net– If goal becomes dislodged and the referee has not observed it,

linesmen must follow these guidelines :• If puck is in the same zone as the dislodged goal => stop play

immediately• If the goal is dislodged by a player whose team is in possesion of the

puck => stop play immediately• If the goal is dislodged by an opposing player of a team in possesion of

the puck in the neutral zone moving toward their opponents goal => allow play to continue until the scoring opportunity of the non-offending team has been completed. However – if the non-offending team carries the puck into their own zone => stop play immediately

– When play is stopped :

– Ensure no altercations are in progress• Check for potential danger

– Proceed to ”scene”• Establish which linesman replaces the net and which linesman retrieves

the puck. Keep players in full view – hustle!

During game

Breaking up fights– Wait for both linesmen to arrive on scene

• Never enter a fight single handedly

– Exercise damage control• Keep other players from joining the altercation – use verbal

communication – keep calm and collected

– Remove any equipment from vicinity of altercation• Remove equipment to prevent players and officials from tripping

– Agree on strategy• Good teamwork can not be underestimated when entering an

altercation. Agree on which linesman is responsible for which player

– Enter altercation• Enter altercation from each side – not from behind! Come in over

players arms so that they are not able to throw punches. Force players apart with gentle sustained pressure. Use verbal communication – stay calm!

During game

Reporting incidents– Major, match or misconduct penalty is observed by

linesman• Note the number and team of the offending player

• Never let the teams know that you’re reporting a penalty

– Wait for stoppage of play and follow these guidelines :• Seek out referee when no players are in the vicinity

• Keep the report calm and neutral

• State exactly what was observed (i.e. Blue 27 slashed red 24)

• Do not suggest the sanction before asked by referee

– Never show dissent• If referee has a different opinion of the situation – never show

dissent.

• Any discussion of the referee’s decision should take place in the dressing rooms after the game

During game

Covering for referee– Never leave the blue line until play has crossed

• It is important that the linesman is in a good position to call an eventual off-side situation

– Back linesman must move up to cover blue line• Remember players behind the play

– Use normal end-zone positioning• The linesman entering the zone should use the normal end-zone

positioning until the referee arrives and assumes his correct position

– If a goal is scored – use the correct signal and point towards net

• Do not blow whistle unless referee is down/injured• Never wash-out a goal – report your observations to the referee

– Avoid referee when leaving the end-zone• It is the responsibility off the linesman in the end-zone to avoid colliding

with the referee when returning to the correct position outside the blue line

During game

Covering for the other linesman– End zone

• After conduction a face-off the linesman should move immediately back to the side boards, continue along the boards to his position in the neutral zone

• Watch the movement of the puck at all times• If the puck is played immediately out of the end zone and a

break is formed up the ice, the linesman positioned at the blue line must go with the play and the other linesman stop at the blue line – then follow play up the ice

• Good teamwork is essential – establish eye contact when possible

– Neutral zone• When the puck is dropped near the blue line the ”free” linesman

will make all calls at that line and follow the play. (i.e. the puck is played towards the red line the ”free” linesman will follow the play towards the red line and the linesman conducting the face-off will become the ”back” linesman)

During game

Other procedures (1)– Removing goalkeeper for extra player during play

• Back linesman has the responsibility to see that the exchange is made correctly (within the three meter perimeter allowed)

• If a change is made too quickly, the back linesman should stop play, provided that the offending team is in possession

• Following the stoppage of play the back linesman should proceed to the center ice face-off spot and the other linesman retrieve the puck and conduct the face-off.

• Keep alert and keep players in full view

– When goalkeeper is to be assessed a penalty (delayed)• When the referee signals a delayed penalty to a goalkeeper, both

linesmen should mentally record the numbers of the players of the goalkeepers team on te ice so they are able to assist the referee if the need arises

• Upon stoppage of play => stay alert!• The linesman in which end the penalty occurred proceeds to the relevant

face-off spot while the other linesman retrieves the puck – keep players in view

During game

Other procedures (2)– When stopping play for ”too many players on the ice”

• If the team in possession of the puck has ”too many players on the ice” the linesman should stop the play of the referee does not observe the infraction

• Upon stopping the play, the linesman should show the correct signal for ”too many players on the ice” and report the infraction to the referee who will asses the penalty

• If the offending team is not in possession of the puck the linesman should report this infraction to the referee upon the first stoppage of play

– Positioning during a penalty shot• One linesman should take position on the goal line opposite the referee• He will observe the play and give his opinion when and only when asked

to do so by the referee• The other linesman should take position in front of the timekeeper’s

bench facing the players benches and keep those in full view• He will observe the benches and give his opinion when and only when

asked to do so by the referee

Summation

• Stay alert!• Hustle!• Be confident when making call and using signals!• Always be prepared to assist the referee if

necessary!

The duties of a linesman are very important to the overall game. Alert, hustling linesmen, who are technically strong, can promote the smooth flow of the game