IHA Officiating Program

1. IHA Officiating Program The Official’s Guide to Roughing and Fisticuffs Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

2. Roughing or Fighting? What is the difference between Roughing and Fisticuffs (Fighting)? Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

3. Roughing or fighting? • Essentially it comes down to the severity of the altercation and the level of violence. • Pushing, shoving, wrestling and “face washing” would all be considered roughing. • A couple of half-hearted punches may also be considered roughing. • Full blooded trading of punches is Fighting. • Fighting is not to be condoned, especially in junior hockey. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

4. Why Differentiate? • Both are covered under same rule (528) so essentially they are the same thing, just the severity of the penalty and how it is recorded changes. • It provides a mechanism for the referee to escalate the penalty imposed for an altercation. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

5. What to look for • Players dropping their gloves to fight. • In any altercation, someone has to start it. This person is called the instigator. • The instigator is not necessarily the first person to throw a punch. • The instigator may have hooked or slashed or provoked the other player in some other manner. • In this case the person to throw the punch is the retaliator. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

6. Applying Penalties • Any player who intentionally takes off his gloves in a fight or altercation shall be assessed a Misconduct Penalty (10 min). • If a player is guilty of Unnecessary Roughness (Roughing), he will be assessed at the discretion of the Referee a; • Minor Penalty (2 min) • Double Minor • Major + Game Misconduct Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

7. Applying Penalties • A player who starts fisticuffs shall be assessed a Match Penalty. • A player who retaliates after being struck with a blow or attempted blow shall be assessed a Minor Penalty. • If a player continues the altercation after being ordered to stop by the referee, or resists a linesman in the discharge of his duties, shall be assessed, at the discretion of the Referee a; • Double Minor • Major Plus Game Misconduct • Match Penalty Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

8. Applying Penalties • Any player or goalkeeper who is the first to intervene in an altercation already in progress shall be assessed a Game Misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties incurred in the incident. • This should only be applied when one or both of the players involved in the altercation are to be assessed a Major or Match Penalty. • Use your judgement as to whether the player actually became involved. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

9. Applying Penalties • Any player who grabs or holds the face mask or helmet or pulls the hair of an opponent shall be assessed at the discretion of the referee; • Minor Penalty • Major + Game Misconduct Penalty • Any player involved in an altercation Off the playing area shall be assessed, at the discretion of the referee a; • Misconduct Penalty • Game Misconduct Penalty • Match Penalty Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

10. Recording and Announcing • If a Match Penalty is assessed, the penalty is recorded and announced as Fighting. • If a Major or lesser penalty is assessed, it is recorded and announced as Roughing. • Where 2 or more players are penalized for an altercation and one or more receive a Match Penalty, the altercation is called as a fight. • The retaliator may receive a Major + Game Misconduct in this instance. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

11. Escalating the penalty • When imposing a penalty on a player for an altercation, give yourself room to “negotiate” with the player. If you start at the upper end of the scale, your chances of getting the players to stop are diminished. • Talk to players and let them know that unless they stop, the penalty is going to increase. • Eg, “Ok Guys, so far it’s a minor, keep going and your going for a double, or a major.” Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

12. Make the penalty appropriate • Don’t just give a player a Minor if he has “gone to town” on an opponent. • The penalty needs to be a deterrent. Some players see 2 minutes in the box as a minor inconvenience for giving someone a thumping. • Use your “Discretion” and apply the appropriate level of penalty to suit the level of violence or severity of the altercation. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

13. Handling the altercation • Important actions to help prevent the altercation escalating include; • Sending all other players back to their benches • Move to a position where you can see ALL players on the ice and player benches • Communicate to the players involved in the altercation Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

14. Handling the altercation • Record the team and player number of any player who; • Intervenes in the altercation • Leaves the player bench to join an altercation • Leaves the penalty bench to join an altercation Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

15. What’s going on? Is the Referee? • Bored with the fight. • Keeping his hands warm. • Saying “Not again!” • Something else? Closest to true answer wins. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

16. What’s going on? Is the Referee? • Bored with the fight. • Keeping his hands warm. • Saying “Not again!” • Something else? Closest to true answer wins. Correct answer:Directing players back to bench with nod of head while retrieving notepad and pen from pockets. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

17. Players leaving their bench • If players leave their players bench during an altercation; • The first player to leave the players bench or penalty bench during an altercation is to be assessed a; • Double Minor Plus a Game Misconduct (rule 564) • Any other player(s) who leave the players bench or penalty bench during an altercation are to be assessed a; • Misconduct Penalty(rule 564) • If the player leaves the penalty bench during a stoppage of play due to an altercation and his penalty has not expired, he is to be assessed a; • Minor Penalty plus Game Misconduct (rule 563) (to be served at the expiry of his previous penalty) Any player who, having entered the penalty bench, leaves the penalty bench prior to the expiration of his penalty for the purpose of challenging an official’s ruling, shall be assessed a: • Minor Penalty plus Game Misconduct(rule 563) Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

18. Players leaving the bench • A maximum of FIVE Misconducts and / or Game Misconducts can be assessed per team for one altercation • If players of both teams leave their respective benches at the same time, the first identifiable player of each team will be penalized under this rule. • You may consult your linesmen and off ice officials to assist in identifying players leaving the benches during an altercation. Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia

19. Bench Clearing Incidents Jersey Light Dark Inst Agg Fighting Inst Agg 3rd Man in 1st off bench Refusal to go to bench Minors Majors Misconducts Sometimes an incident will occur when lots of players leave their benches to join an altercation. It is important to record the numbers of who does what. To help with this you may wish to rule up a notepad in a similar fashion to this “riot pad”; Roughing and Fisticuffs Ice Hockey Australia