Blind hockey rules

Summary of the official blind hockey rules (2019)

Source: International Blind Ice Hockey Federation (IBIHF), updated official rules from 2019

Compiled and translated by Antti Latikka

Introduction

Blind hockey is almost the same sport as traditional ice hockey. Only a few adaptations have been made, so that the sport is as accessible as possible to blind and partially sighted players. In all other respects the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) are used. The largest adaptation is the loud metal puck, which is bigger and slower than a traditional puck. The sport has been played in Canada since 1972 and in the United States since 2014. Today there is regular activity at 20 clubs and 4 annual events, with hundreds of participants of all ages.

At present Canada and the United States are the only countries playing regular matches with national teams. Several European players have taken part in the North American events, and Finland, Great Britain and Russia are working to start national team activity. The International Blind Ice Hockey Federation's aim is to help at least 6 new countries start national team activity, so that a World Championship could be held and a place at the Winter Paralympics applied for.

This document is the "Official blind hockey rules", which take effect on 1 July 2019. These rules are to be used at international blind hockey tournaments. The rules include the classification system of the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), which is approved by the International Paralympic Committee and used in all international competitions in sports for visually impaired athletes. In recreational blind hockey matches these rules may be departed from, depending on the nature of the event. In particular, the classification and points system is adapted, or not used at all, outside national championships and international matches. Team sizes and the game format may also differ at non-competitive tournaments. The tournament's organising committee provides the final word on the rules and game format in use.

The official language of blind hockey is English. In the event of discrepancies arising in translation, the English-language version is taken as correct. (Note: this is not an official translation made by a professional, but the first summary version of the rules, rendered here from the Finnish summary.)

Game format (departing from IIHF RULES 43 and 44)

Every game includes at least 5 minutes of warm-up and 3 x 12-minute periods of stop-time play. The period break lasts 15 minutes, during which the ice is resurfaced. If the game ends in a draw, a 5-minute 4-on-4 period of extra time is played under the golden goal rule, followed by a penalty shootout if needed.

Tournament format (IIHF three point system)

In a tournament the points system follows the IIHF's rules. 3 points for a win in regulation time, 2 points for a win in extra time or on penalties, 1 point for a loss in extra time or on penalties, 0 points for a loss in regulation time.

Number of players (departing from IIHF RULE 24)

A team may dress a maximum of 13 outfield players and 2 goalkeepers per game.

Officiating system (departing from IIHF RULE 4)

Matches use a 3-official system, comprising 2 referees and 1 linesman.

Classification

The impairment eligible for international blind hockey is determined by the classification of the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) into three different visual impairment classes.

B1 = blind; no perception of light in either eye, and no ability to perceive hand movement from any direction or at any distance.

B2 = severely partially sighted; able to distinguish hand movement, with visual acuity of 2/60 (visus 0.03) and/or a visual field of less than 5 degrees; as a rule needs an assistant to move around in unfamiliar places. This class may involve many different factors limiting sight.

B3 = partially sighted; visual acuity of at least 2/60 (visus 0.03) and at most 6/60 (visus 0.1) and/or a visual field of more than 5 degrees but less than 20 degrees; some need an assistant to move around in unfamiliar places. This class may involve many different factors limiting sight.

Points system

The system aims to ensure that the players on the ice have as equal a level of sight as possible, so that skill and performance determine who comes out on top. Players are given points according to their classification: B3 players are 3 points, B2 players are 2 points and B1 players are 1 point. Goalkeepers must be classified B1. The team's 6 players on the ice (including the goalkeeper) may total 14 points. For example 3 x B3 + 2 x B2 + 1 x B1 (goalkeeper). Four players short-handed, a team may have 11 points, and three players short-handed, 8 points. By pulling the goalkeeper, a team gains a 6th outfield player on the ice and may use 16 points.

Specialist equipment

Puck

Blind hockey uses a specially made metal puck. The puck dents easily and the sound it makes is extremely important to the players, so the referee has an important duty to change the puck if it becomes unusable. The specifications of the puck for the official 2019 model are:

Material: 20 gauge steel sheet (thickness 0.911 mm)

Diameter: 14 cm

Height: 4.8 cm

Weight: 340–350 g

Shape: hollow right circular cylinder

Colour: black

Contains: 8 steel ball bearings, 0.9525 cm in diameter

Goal

The goal otherwise conforms to IIHF rule 20, but the height of the goal is 91 cm instead of the traditional 122 cm.

Playing kit

Players must wear playing kit conforming to IIHF rule 40. The team designated as home must wear dark kit and the team designated as away must wear kit that is as bright as possible (yellow and orange recommended), in order to ensure the greatest possible contrast. White kit must never be used in blind hockey. The tournament organiser must approve all playing kit.

Coloured helmets

Because of the points system, players must wear colour-coded helmets according to their classification. B3 players wear black helmets, B2 players wear white helmets and B1 outfield players wear red helmets. A goalkeeper's mask may be any colour, since goalkeepers must be in the B1 class.

Goalkeepers' eyeshades

All goalkeepers must wear blackout eyeshades under their helmet, so that every goalkeeper's sight is equal.

Pass whistle

Referees must have an electronic whistle with which they signal that the "pass rule" has been fulfilled. The official blind hockey pass whistle is the FOX 40 electronic whistle on setting 2.

Adapted rules

The end being defended (departing from IIHF RULE 50)

Teams do not change the end they defend between periods, but play the whole game defending the end nearest their own bench. If the referee observes that one team is gaining an advantage from defending only one end, the ends may be swapped for the second period, in which case the teams also swap benches.

Body checking (IIHF RULE 169)

Body checking is forbidden in blind hockey. Body checking: players may push against or lean on one another while going for the puck, if their only aim is to play the puck. They may not pin or push an opponent against the boards, or use extra force with their upper body to separate an opponent from the puck without themselves going for possession of it.

Protective equipment (following IIHF Rules Section 4)

All players must wear full protective equipment, including a CSA/HECC approved cage or full face shield and a BNQ/HECC approved neck guard. A player playing without the appropriate protective equipment receives a minor penalty for delaying the game and is not entitled to serve a penalty or return to play until they have the required equipment.

Playing with a high stick (departing from IIHF RULES 75 and 76)

In blind hockey a high stick is defined as being at the height of the crossbar (91 cm), and play is stopped immediately when the infringement occurs. The following face-off takes place at the nearest face-off spot, and a goal scored with a high stick is disallowed.

Slap shots

Slap shots are forbidden in blind hockey. A shot is deemed a slap shot if the blade of the stick is higher than 91 cm when shooting and/or the angle between the stick and the ice is more than 90 degrees. Play is stopped immediately after the shot, and if the shot results in a goal, it is disallowed. The player who shot receives a minor penalty for a slap shot.

Too many points on the ice

Too many points on the ice applies IIHF rule 166 on too many players on the ice, together with the blind hockey points system. The infringement results in a delayed minor bench penalty for too many points on the ice.

The pass rule

So that the players with the least sight can follow the puck's movement as well as possible, the attacking team must make at least 1 pass in the attacking zone before they are entitled to score. The referee immediately sounds a tone on the electronic whistle, different from a normal whistle, for at least 5 seconds once the required "pass" has been made, so that all players know scoring is possible. If a goal or a save occurs without a "pass" having been made, the referee immediately blows play dead and the face-off is moved to the neutral zone.

Once the required "pass" has been made, the attacking team can score until the puck leaves the attacking zone or there is a stoppage in play. That is, only when the puck crosses the blue line, or after a stoppage regardless of the face-off location, must the attacking team make a new "pass".

Definition of a pass:

A "pass" has been completed when an attacking player deliberately moves the puck with their stick or skate and the next player to touch the puck is from the same team, without a player from the defending team having touched the puck in any way.

Example situations:

Situation 1: An attacker passes the puck to a team-mate and the puck deflects off a defender in any way, but finally reaches the intended team-mate. Result: NO "pass"

Situation 2: Having crossed the blue line, an attacker shoots the puck into the end zone and the next player to touch the puck is a team-mate (even if several seconds pass). Result: "Pass"

Situation 3: The centre at an attacking-zone face-off wins the face-off cleanly to a team-mate without the other centre touching the puck. Result: "Pass"

Situation 4: The centre at an attacking-zone face-off wins the face-off to a team-mate, but the other centre touches the puck at the face-off. Result: NO "pass"

Scoring an own goal

Because of the "pass rule", many situations may arise in which the puck ends up in the defending team's own goal, and the consequences differ according to the situation.

Example situations:

Situation 1: A "pass" has been completed and the attacking team is entitled to score. If the puck goes into the goal, it does not matter what the defending team has done. Result: goal

Situation 2: No "pass" has been completed and the attacking team is not entitled to score. If a defending player accidentally deflects the puck into their own goal from an attacking player's shot, there is a face-off at the nearest face-off spot. Result: NO goal

Situation 3: No "pass" has been completed and the attacking team is not entitled to score. A defending player, in the referee's judgement, plays the puck into their own goal through a deliberate action — for example while trying to clear the puck from the defensive zone, but with it deflecting into the goal off any player. Result: goal

The following rule adaptations emphasise IIHF RULE 19 on the goal crease. The crease is the three-dimensional space extending up to the crossbar from the blue-painted area in the middle of the goal line and the 5 cm thick red line bounding it. If a player or the puck is even partly on the line, it is deemed to be in the crease.

Attacker's crease violation (departing from IIHF RULE 150)

The goalkeeper is the only player permitted inside the crease. Only an attacking player's stick may ever enter the crease, even if the player has possession of the puck. Once a player has entered the crease, play is stopped immediately and the following face-off takes place in the neutral zone. A goal is disallowed if a player entered the crease before the puck went into the goal.

Example situations

Situation 1: In the referee's judgement, a defending player pushes an attacking player into the crease. Result: defender's crease violation and a face-off in the attacking zone.

Situation 2: In the referee's judgement, a defending player pushes an attacking player into the crease, where the player scores before the referee stops play. Result: goal.

Situation 3: While the defending team has possession of the puck and is building an attack, an attacking player tries to break up play by entering the crease. Result: play is allowed to continue as normal.

Defender's crease violation (departing from IIHF RULE 150)

A defender may not enter the crease. The referee may give a defender a verbal warning to leave the crease. If a defender blocks a shot while in the crease, they are given a delayed minor penalty for a defender's crease violation. If the referee has to stop play for a repeated defender's crease violation, the player who caused the stoppage is given a delayed minor penalty for a defender's crease violation.

The goalkeeper freezing the puck (departing from IIHF RULE 49)

Because the goalkeeper is blind and the puck makes no sound when stationary, they do not need to cover the puck after a save in order to stop play, as long as the puck comes to rest in the crease as a result of the save. Once the goalkeeper has made a save, the referee decides when the puck is stationary in the crease and blows play dead. IIHF RULE 200 is also emphasised, under which the referee may stop play immediately if the goalkeeper takes a puck to the mask and the attacking team has no immediate scoring opportunity.

Goalkeeper interference (IIHF RULE 150)

If an attacking player makes physical contact with the opposing goalkeeper in the crease with any part of their body, their stick or their skates, they must be given a delayed minor penalty for goalkeeper interference.

Illegal goaltending

The goalkeeper must be standing during every face-off and must return to a standing position whenever the puck leaves the defensive zone. If the goalkeeper attempts to be on their knees or on their side during a face-off, they must be given a delayed minor penalty for illegal goaltending.

Icing (departing from IIHF RULE 65)

Icing stops play immediately once the puck has completely crossed the goal line.

Fighting (departing from IIHF RULE 141)

All players penalised for fighting receive a major penalty, that is a 5-minute suspension, plus an automatic game misconduct.

Adapted practices

Pulling the goalkeeper

A team may temporarily pull the goalkeeper from the ice because of a delayed penalty, or if it wants a 6th outfield player. In that case, at even strength the team may have (with 6 players) 16 points on the ice; one player short-handed it may have (with 5 players) 13 points; and two players short-handed it may have (with 4 players) 10 points. During a delayed penalty a team can "pull the goalkeeper" by putting a sixth outfield player on the ice, even though the goalkeeper stays in place in the goal. If a team otherwise wishes to pull the goalkeeper in blind hockey, this must happen during a stoppage in play. If the goalkeeper tries to leave their goal during play, they may be given an immediate or delayed minor penalty for delaying the game, depending on which team has possession of the puck.

Penalty shot

A penalty shot can be awarded only in a situation where a "pass" has already been made and the team is entitled to score. If a defender commits an infringement that would lead to a penalty shot, but no "pass" has been made, they are given a minor penalty.

Shootout

Blind hockey uses a shootout in accordance with the IIHF rules after extra time has ended in a draw. The referee in the defensive zone makes sure the goalkeeper understands they are about to face the next shooter, after which the referee at centre ice blows the whistle and gives permission for the next shot to be taken.

Face-offs

The referee shakes the puck near the face-off spot so that it makes a sound. This lets the players position themselves correctly on the ice. In addition, the referee blows the whistle just before dropping the puck, so that all players know the puck is about to be in play.

The puck leaving the attacking zone, and hybrid offside

The referee shouts "OUT" loudly 3 times every time the puck leaves the attacking zone into the neutral zone. This lets the players (especially the goalkeepers) know that the attacking team must make a new "pass" and that the attacking players must clear the offside. During a delayed offside/hybrid offside the referee must shout "OFFSIDE" to the attackers who are offside, so that they understand they must leave the attacking zone.

The goal off its moorings

Because goalkeepers are blind and orient themselves in the game by the goal frame, the nearest referee must be especially attentive that the goal frame stays in place. Goalkeepers may easily knock the goal off its moorings and either not notice themselves that it is in the wrong place or be unable to put it back on their own. In that case the referee must help the goalkeeper put the net back in place, even during play where the situation allows.

For questions and clarifications, get in touch

Matt Morrow, Executive Director of the International Blind Ice Hockey Federation (IBIHF)

Compiled and translated into Finnish by Antti Latikka