stick checks April 19, 2018 Rule 4 0 Forum Questions Rule 4-27 1b means if coach A requests a second stick check for an opposing player B, Coach A will be penalized if the second equipment check again reveals no violations. My question is what if the first stick check revealed an illegal stick, is coach A is still allowed another "free" stick check without possibility of penalty? My interpretation of the rule is that Coach A is allowed a second "free" check without fear of penalty. Do you agree? For a second question on stick checks the following scenario was addressed to me from someone who watched a LAX game in Florida. Officials find a bad stick when doing their equipment check between periods. They assess 3 minute non-releaseable penalty and award a free clear to the opponent. The opponent scores during the first three minutes of the non-releasable EMO. However rather than facing off after the goal, the officials allow another free clear to the scoring team. I would have conducted a face off with the penalized team being a man down on the wing. Rule 4-3.1. Question File Add new DuBan's Answer: Visual Text Kratz's Answer: Visual Text McCarrick's Answer: Visual Text Riti's Answer: Visual Text I agree with Paul regarding the requesting of multiple stick checks. However, I disagree with how the Florida official handled their situation. I did not think that during a non-releasable penalty that free clears should be awarded after each goal while that penalty is being served. My opinion is that the official should have awarded a free clear after the deadball foul for the illegal stick, but conducted faceoffs after all goals while that player is serving his 3 minutes. I could not find any references to the contrary. 4.3.1 Exception 2 - "If a player or team commits a foul before any faceoff, the ball will be awarded to the offended team in its offensive side of the field at the Center." Although the wording "commits a foul before any faceoff" could be interpreted to mean all faceoffs while the player serves is 3 minutes NR. But I didn't think that is what it meant. Tyma's Answer: Visual Text <strong>Next time, I'll read the question more carefully! Thanks, Matt.</strong> <em>A coach is allowed as many stick/equipment checks as he wants. But if nothing wrong is found, the requests become expensive.</em> <em>Once the coach guesses wrong, any subsequent requests are at risk of being charged a timeout if nothing is found on the subsequent request. And if the team is out of timeouts, any check that finds nothing wrong costs the coach his in-home for 30 seconds for calling a timeout he doesn't have.</em> <em>The Florida officials ruled correctly. Any dead-ball foul with a face-off pending results in the ball being awarded to the offended team.</em> Rules: 4.27, 6.5.2.o, 4.3.1 Exception 2 Answer File Question Answered Yes No
