1. Line Change Procedure Start line change as soon as it is safe to do so Make sure that you are visible to the benches Make eye contact with the visiting team coach. Allow 5 seconds for them to make their change Once the 5 seconds are up, raise you arm to signal the visiting team can no longer change. Strong signal but not overbearing. Make sure the visiting team has the correct number of players on the ice. Keep an eye on the visiting team while your arm is in the air so they don’t try to get a late player on the ice.

2. Line Change Procedure With you arm in the air allow the home team 5 seconds. Once you have counted to 5 seconds lower your arm signaling that the home team can no longer change. In the 2 nd period you may have to give them a little more time if the face-off is in their defending zone. Communication is the key. Make sure you run the line change and do not let the coaches take advantage.

3. Line Change Procedure Tricks coaches may use. Visiting team may change forwards and wait for the home team before sending out defensemen or vice versa. They may send out 6 guys and call a guy back. They may only send out 4 guys. They might watch the home team to see who is coming and try to time it so they send out guys right at the end of your line change. Do not allow any of this to happen.

4. Line Change Procedure Penalties for line change infractions First infraction is a warning and 2 nd infraction is a bench minor. Ways to avoid having to give penalties. Set your line change standard early. Be on top of them. This is not a time for the referee to rest. If you are close to the bench talk to the coach. If they do send out a player late, blow your whistle right away. It is a lot easier to get a player back to the bench if he is still on it.

5. Face-offs As soon as the whistle goes linesman must mentally record where the face-off is going. Face off location is crucial Read the play and as soon as the whistle goes, go to the altercation if there is one or one developing Feet should be shoulder width apart and stand about 1 foot from the dot. Blow whistle once the referee lowers his hand to end the line change. You now have 5 seconds to drop the puck.

6. Face-offs Wingers behind you now become your partner’s responsibility. You do not turn around to watch them at this point. Linesman dropping puck watches wingers in front. Puck drop – puck tight to body, out and down. Do not point with free hand. Keep your head up this way you will not take a stick in the face but it also allows you to watch the wingers in front of you. Talk players in so they know what to do.

7. Face-offs Center man must have their skates on the proper side of the restraining lines. Visitor down first, stick flat on the ice and in the white area. Home player down next. All other players, skates outside the circle, no sticks in the hash marks. Linesman need to work together. Standard should be the same at both ends. May need to talk if one is tighter than the other.

8. Face-offs Set your standard early in the game. Examples of crucial face-offs- defending zone while short handed. Others? If players are ready do not cause unnecessary time delay. Wingers may jump and you need to start all over. If you have to remove a center man use a verbal or hand signal. Then blow your whistle to start the procedure again.

9. Face-offs After dropping the puck, shoulder check and back out of the zone. Keep the play in front of you in case you need to signal icing. Release your partner from your line. If there is a close play at your line, allow your partner to make the call before you switch. This may mean that you need to cover his line.

10. Linesman Positioning Following a goal – Back linesman between benches. Front linesman gets the puck. Penalties – Linesman gets his own puck and gets ready for the face-off. Other linesman escorts the player to the penalty bench. More than 1 penalty both linesman escort to the players bench. If it is an obvious penalty and player goes directly to the penalty bench you may not need to escort him all the way.

11. Linesman Positioning Stoppage of play – watch the play, identify hot spots and go there when the whistle is blown. If there is a fight you must work together. Timeout – Linesman stays at face off dot. Other linesman between the benches Judgment – goalie has the puck, net off, repairing the ice

12. Linesman positioning Covering for the referee – Go all the way or don’t go at all. Follow the same line as what the referee would. Back linesman must move up to cover. Covering for partner. Get in the habit of moving up quick. When the play is moving up your partners side of the ice, anticipate that you may need to cover.

13. Icing Back linesman signals icing by raising his arm. Good vocal, “ice”. Front linesman skates up the ice, shoulder check to partner. If it is icing, blow whistle then arm in the air. If not icing wave – make decision by the top of the circle. Back linesman must move up to cover.

14. Icing If nothing going on, get the puck and hustle to the other end to do the puck handoff. If there is a gathering then attend to it. On a race with a tight icing call, anticipate conflict and be there to break it up. If you wave off the icing, hustle back to your blueline to release your partner.

15. Off-side When the play is coming toward your blueline skate backwards keeping the play in full view If the play is going to be close move inside your blueline about 1’ to 2’. Make your call then get out side the zone again. If it is not close you do not need to go inside your line.

16. Off-side You must beat the players to your line. You can not make the call when you are 10’ away. If you get bumped low, trust that your partner will cover for you. If it is very close and on-side you need a good wave off and vocal. If it is close you need a good wave off.

17. Off-side If it is off-side you need to blow your whistle and point to the face off dot. If it is delayed then arm in the air and good vocal. If the player continues, blow it down. Do not let a body check take place. Was it intentional? Once the zone is clear drop your arm and yell okay. No wave-off.

18. Referee Positioning End Zone – Home base, ½ piston, at the net. Bump, pivot With the new obstruction standards you need to be in position to see the infraction and there is some discretion to be off the piston line, but you should not work below the goal line. Net presence – A goal is the most important play in the game. Do not leave the zone too early. Scrums – keep players and benches in view. Do not get too tight so that you get blocked out.

19. Referee Positioning When standing in the end zone face the entire end zone keeping all players in view. Moving with the play – Stay 10 –20 feet behind Entering the end zone. Skate hard to home base or ½ piston. Read the play if it turns around and is coming at you. Curl behind the defensemen.

20. Penalty Procedure Signal penalty by raising your arm, once they have control blow the play down. Stop, wait a couple seconds then… If they are far away point to the player and say the jersey color and number. If the player is right beside you only use a verbal. Make your signal

21. Penalty Procedure Proceed to the penalty bench keeping all players in view. If the player doesn’t go to the box right away, you go first and drag him with you. If he goes right away keep your distance to avoid any confrontation. If there is the possibility for more penalties do not leave the scene. Report penalty to the penalty bench. Make the signal at the penalty bench. No time signal. Can signal on ice strength to coaches after.

22. Questions Questions, comments, thoughts?