Trapezoid Rule

[mister_mcgoo]

I understand how it works generally but how exactly is this rule worded/enforced? I started wondering this during the Nucks game tonight...Bobby Lu had lost his stick and it had been kicked into the corner outside the trapezoid, finally he was able to retrieve it but the defensemen were still collecting the puck from the zone so it got me thinking, what would happen if a forechecker came in and knocked the puck of the d-man's stick and it hit Luongo whilst outside of the trapezoid? Would he be penalized for incidental contact? Or does he have to actually play the puck?

[GoalieGuild]

From NHL.COM OFFICIAL RULES SECTION:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26314

28.8 Restricted Area – A goalkeeper shall not play the puck outside of the designated area behind the net. This area shall be defined by lines that begin six feet (6’) from either goal post and extend diagonally to points twenty-eight feet (28’) apart at the end boards. Should the goalkeeper play the puck outside of the designated area behind the goal line, a minor penalty for delay of game shall be imposed. The determining factor shall be the position of the puck. The minor penalty will not be assessed when a goalkeeper plays the puck while maintaining skate contact with his goal crease.

Okay so now I'm all intrigued by this, because the rules don't clarify what happens with incidental contact. Is it at the referees discretion or is fully allowed because it's not included????

I don't think coincidental contact is called. The rules above say "play the puck" a few times. So I think the goalie has to make a shooting or passing motion with the puck.

If the goalie is outside the zone and a puck comes flying out of nowhere and accidentally hits him, it's not a penalty. He has to make a motion of some kind to play the puck.

I wonder what happens if a goalie kicks the puck. That's probably considered a playing motion.

Why can't the NHL just write enough articles to be more clear on these things. Too much "open to interpretation" stuff in there.

[GoalieGuild]

Remember when I did this????

http://www.thegoalieguild.com/?p=2398

The Inverted Trapezoid

Darren Pang brought up this same idea in one of his broadcasts last week. I was blown away. If it's good enough for Panger, it should be good enough for the NHL.

I say do it!!!!!!!!

[mister_mcgoo]

From NHL.COM OFFICIAL RULES SECTION:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26314

28.8 Restricted Area – A goalkeeper shall not play the puck outside of the designated area behind the net. This area shall be defined by lines that begin six feet (6’) from either goal post and extend diagonally to points twenty-eight feet (28’) apart at the end boards. Should the goalkeeper play the puck outside of the designated area behind the goal line, a minor penalty for delay of game shall be imposed. The determining factor shall be the position of the puck. The minor penalty will not be assessed when a goalkeeper plays the puck while maintaining skate contact with his goal crease.

Okay so now I'm all intrigued by this, because the rules don't clarify what happens with incidental contact. Is it at the referees discretion or is fully allowed because it's not included????

I don't think coincidental contact is called. The rules above say "play the puck" a few times. So I think the goalie has to make a shooting or passing motion with the puck.

If the goalie is outside the zone and a puck comes flying out of nowhere and accidentally hits him, it's not a penalty. He has to make a motion of some kind to play the puck.

I wonder what happens if a goalie kicks the puck. That's probably considered a playing motion.

Why can't the NHL just write enough articles to be more clear on these things. Too much "open to interpretation" stuff in there.

Thanks for including the official rule man, I was looking for it but couldn't find it. That's basically how I remembered it though, that it said the goalie cannot 'play the puck' outside the trapezoid. I think your interpretation is probably correct but its a very gray area to be sure...like in that Nucks game, Luongo was way over in the corner retrieving his stick and the d-man sorta bobbled the puck a little and it got me to thinking, what would happen if it jumped off his stick and went into the corner and hit Luongo? I think that's another example where they need to clean the language of the rule up to spell it out clearly because I could easily see that being interpreted wrong

[mister_mcgoo]

wow funny that we just discussed this, but tonight Varly blatantly PLAYED a puck outside the trapezoid and no call...nothing, nada...brutal officiating this offseason

[GoalieGuild]

I SAW THAT!!!!!!! Haha. The one time a goalie actually does it and the referee doesn't even catch it.