In the past few days, a striking number of penalties in the win2day ICE Hockey League have been a topic of conversation – especially around the topic of sticking offences. Behind the numerous whistles there is a new referee line.
Conspicuous flood of penalties as the first indication
In the EC Red Bull Salzburg game against the Vienna Capitals on Friday, a total of 14 minor penalties were handed out – nine of them for sticking. What initially seemed like an unusual accumulation was confirmed the next day in the duel between VSV and Innsbruck: six penalties in the first third, five for sticking offences.
Video specifications for the teams
According to LAOLA1, an instruction video was sent to all clubs on Monday. In it, with Lyle Seitz as a voice-over, numerous examples were shown and it was explained that stick strikes, hooks, tripping, high sticks and cross-checking will be punished more severely in the future. The focus is primarily on offenses against the hands and upper body. This was followed on Thursday by a video call with the head coaches in which the measures were explained and supported by most of the teams.
Goal: More speed, less stick work
The league would like to set an example against the behavior that is being observed more and more often, where players who are inferior in terms of play rely on their stick as an aid to slowing down opponents or separating them from the puck instead of running. While such actions don’t always result in injury – as was the case with Graham Knott’s stick strike on Linden Vey, which still put him out of action for a game – they slow down the game and lower the league’s technical standard.
New evaluation criteria
In the future, the referees should particularly take the following points into account when assessing penalties:
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Effect of the action: A light hook is judged less severely than a strong blow with a stick.
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Target area and intensity: Attacks against the hands or upper body are punished more severely.
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Intention and recklessness: The more deliberate or dangerous the offense, the clearer the punishment.
Communication problem causes confusion
What was missed, however, was to inform the public. There was a great lack of understanding in the stands at the game in Salzburg, while the teams and coaches already knew.
Image: VSV/Krammer
