End Zone Positioning Northern Ontario Hockey Association

At The Net Half Piston Home Base END ZONE POSITIONING WHEN PLAY IS IN THE END ZONE FOLLOW NORMAL END ZONE POSITIONING

Half Piston  Area between Home Base and the near goal post, at the bottom of the face-off circle, usually in line with the face-off dots  On an imaginary line joining home base and the near goal post  When the puck is on the opposite side of the ice

HALF PISTON HP AS PLAY MOVES BEHIND THE GOAL LINE OUR SIGHTLINE IS RESTRICTED BY THE NET WE NEED TO CREATE A ZONE TO WORK IN TO GIVE US BETTER VIEW OF THE PLAY AND GOOD POSITION AND ICE LOCATION SHOULD THE PLAY MOVE OUT

HALF PISTON HP WHEN PLAY GOES BEHIND THE GOAL LINE TOO MANY OFFICIALS GO INTO “NO MAN’S LAND TO GAIN SIGHTLINES WHILE THEY DO GAIN SIGHTLINE THEY LOSE ICE ADVANTAGE THIS IS NOT GOOD POSITIONING

Home Base  cm (6-8 inches) off the boards, half way between goal line and face- off circle hash marks  Puck is on the official’s side of the net

HP HOME BASE HB WHEN PLAY MOVES TO YOUR SIDE OF THE ICE YOU MOVE TO HOME BASE CREATING A ZONE USING THE BUMP AND PIVOT TO GIVE YOU GOOD ICE ADVANTAGE WHEN THE PLAY LEAVES THE ZONE

At the Net  Anywhere around the net that gives the official the best view to see if the puck goes over the goal line  Closer to the net than half piston  Ideally at the corner of the net 2-3 feet from goal line  Never switch sides or cross over to other side during play

ATN AT THE NET HP WHEN PLAY IS AROUND THE NET CREATE A ZONE TO WORK IN TO GET THE BEST VIEW OF THE PUCK ENTERING THE NET BE READY TO SKATE BACKWARDS QUICKLY WHEN THE PLAY LEAVES THE NET AREA WHICH PUTS YOU IN GOOD POSITION SHOULD THE PLAY LEAVE THE ZONE

R MANY OFFICIALS TEND TO “CHEAT” AND DON’T COME INTO THE END ZONE ANY FURTHER THAN SHOWN HERE. THIS LEAVES THEM IN BAD POSITION TO VIEW A PLAY AT THE NET WHEN PLAY ENTERS THE ZONE

End Zone Maneuvers The Bump  Move along the boards from Home Base, in either direction, to stay out of the play  When play is leaving zone, bump until play develops The Pivot  Used to maintain position while allowing play to pass quickly behind  Step off boards as play approaches enough to allow play to pass behind  As play passes, pivot to keep the play in sight and back to the boards, then move back to Home Base

HB BUMP WHEN PLAY MOVES, RETURN TO HOME BASE OR HALF PISTON AS PLAY MOVES TOWARDS YOU, BUMP THE BOARDS TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY

PIVOT HB AS PLAY APPROACHES, PIVOT OFF THE BOARDS TO LET THE PLAY PASS YOU WHEN PLAY PASSES, PIVOT TO KEEP THE PLAY IN SIGHT

Puck Possession  How does it affect your positioning?

A A A D D HP HB L L D HOLDS POSITION UNTIL PUCK CROSSES THE LINE THEN MOVES WITH THE PLAY ATTACKING TEAM IN CONTROL OF THE PUCK WE MAINTAIN STANDARD END ZONE POSITIONING WHEN THE DEFENDING TEAM GETS CONTROL WE MUST ANTICIPATE THE CHANGE OF PLAY AND PREPARE TO MOVE WITH IT THIS LINESMAN MUST NOW PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FLOATER-CREATE A ZONE TO WATCH FOR AN OFFSIDE AS PLAY BEGINS TO MOVE OUT, WE MOVE WITH IT

Pursuit of Play  Play on your side – feet behind play  Play on far side – 8-10 feet behind play  Blue line to goal line – MUST KEEP SKATING  Crossing over to other side of rink (behind net or middle of ice) is not acceptable!  Use tight turns (vs. stops and starts) when play changes direction

PURSUIT OF PLAY WHEN PLAY LEAVES THE ENDZONE AND CONTINUES INTO THE OPPOSITE ENDZONE RRRR THE REFEREE MUST SKATE HARD THROUGH THE NEUTRAL ZONE, LOOKING BACK AT VARYING LOCATIONS TO WATCH PLAYERS BEHIND THE PLAY UNTIL HE ASSUMES GOOD END ZONE POSITIONING R

Common Mistakes  Over skating (over reacting)  Not anticipating movements/failure to get back to home base  Not moving to the net quickly enough on close plays