Regel 56: Interference

A Player who obstructs or prevents an opponent “without possession of the puck” from skating, receiving a pass, or moving about the ice freely is considered as “interference”.
A “late-hit” constitutes reckless endangerment of a Player who “no longer has control or possession of the puck”.
Any Player who is in the process of “abandoning” or “losing control or possession of the puck” is subject to a bodycheck so long as the aggressor is in the immediate vicinity of the Skater with the puck.

A strict standard on acts of interference must be adhered to in all areas of the Rink.

Body Position:
“Body position” shall be determined as the Player skating in front of or beside their opponent, traveling in the same direction. A Player who is behind an opponent, who does not have the puck, may not use their stick, body, or free hand in order to restrain their opponent, but must skate in order to gain or reestablish their “proper position” in order to make a check.

A Player is allowed the ice they are standing on (body position) and are not required to move in order to let an opponent proceed. A Player may “block the path” of an opponent provided they are in front of their opponent and moving in the same direction. Moving laterally and without “establishing body position”, then making contact with the non-puck carrier is not permitted and will be penalized as “interference”. A Player is always entitled to use their “body position” to lengthen an opponent’s path to the puck, provided their stick is not utilized (to make themself “bigger” and therefore considerably lengthening the distance their opponent must travel to get where they are going); their “free hand” is not used, and they do not take advantage of their “body position” to deliver an otherwise illegal check.

Possession of the Puck:
The last Player to touch the puck, other than the Goalkeeper, shall be considered the Player in “possession”. The Player deemed in “possession” of the puck may be checked legally, provided the check is rendered immediately following the “loss of possession” and their opponent still finds themself within an “objectively reasonable window of opportunity” to deliver such a check refer to Rule 56.4 – Interference.

Restrain:
The actions of a Player who does not have “body position”, but instead uses illegal means (e.g., “hook” with stick; “hold” with hands, “trip” with the stick or in any manner) to impede an opponent who is not in “possession” of the puck. Illegal means are acts which allow a Player or Goalkeeper to “establish, maintain or restore body position” other than by skating.

Pick:
A “pick” is the action of a Player who checks an opponent who is not in “possession” of the puck and is unaware of the impending check/hit.
A Player who is aware of an impending hit, not deemed to be a legal “battle for the puck,” may not be interfered with by a Player or Goalkeeper delivering a “pick.”
A Player delivering a “pick” is one who moves into an opponent’s path without initially having “body position”, thereby taking them “out of the play”. When this is done, an “interference” penalty shall be assessed.

Free Hand:
When a “free hand” is used to hold, pull, tug, grab or physically restrain an opponent from moving “freely”, this must be penalized as “holding”. The “free hand” may be used by a Player to “fend off” an opponent or their stick but may not be used to hold an opponent’s stick or body.

Stick:
A Player who does not have “body position” on their opponent, who uses their stick (either the blade or the shaft, including the butt-end of the shaft) to impede or prevent their opponent from moving “freely” on the ice shall be assessed a “hooking” penalty.
→ Rule 55 – Hooking

A Minor Penalty for “interference” shall be assessed:

(I) On a Player who interferes with or impedes the progress of an opponent who is not in “possession” of the puck;

(II) On a Player who restrains an opponent who is attempting to “fore-check”;

(III) On any Player who deliberately checks an opponent, including the Goalkeeper, who is “not or no longer deemed in possession” of the puck (“late-hit”);

(IV) On a Player who shall cause an opponent who is not in “possession” of the puck to be forced off-side, causing a stoppage in play. If this action causes a delayed off-side (and not necessarily a stoppage in play), then the application of a penalty for “interference” is subject to the judgment of the Referee;

(V) On a Player who deliberately “knocks” the stick out of an opponent’s hand or prevents a Player who has dropped their stick or any other piece of equipment from regaining “possession” of it,

(VI) On a Player who “knocks or shoots” any abandoned or broken stick or illegal puck or other debris towards an opposing puck carrier in a manner that could cause them to be distracted;
→ Rule 53 – Throwing Equipment

(VII) On any identifiable Player on the Players’ Bench or Penalty Box who, by means of their stick or their body, interferes with the movements of the puck or any opponent on the ice during the progress of the play;

(VIII) On any Player about to come onto the ice who plays the puck while one or both skates are still on the Players’ or Penalty Box.

The appropriate penalty according to the playing rules shall be assessed when a Player on the Players’ or Penalty Box gets involved with an opponent on the ice during a stoppage in play. The Player(s) involved may be subject to additional sanctions as appropriate.
→ Rule 28 – Supplementary Discipline

A Bench Minor Penalty shall be assessed when an unidentifiable Player on the Players’ Bench or Penalty Box or any Coach or non-playing Team Personnel who, by means of their stick or their body, interferes with the movements of the puck or any opponent on the ice during the progress of the play.

The Referee, at their discretion, may assess a Major Penalty to a Player guilty of “interference” on an opponent, and who recklessly endangers the fouled Player in a way that at the discretion of the Referee such Player would not be sufficiently sanctioned by imposing a Minor Penalty. Refer to Rule 56.6 for the criteria for an additional Game Misconduct Penalty.

The Referee, at their discretion, may assess a Match Penalty if, in their judgment, the Player recklessly endangers their opponent by an “interference or a late-hit”. Such assessment of reckless endangerment shall be based on the severity of the infraction, severity of the contact, the degree of violence and the general reprehensibility involved.

When a Major Penalty is assessed under this rule for a “interference or a late-hit” and, in the judgement of the Referee, such foul was likely to injure an opposing Player, a Game Misconduct shall also be assessed.

When a Player in control of the puck in the Neutral or Attacking Zone and having no other opponent to pass than the Goalkeeper is interfered with by a stick or any part thereof or any other object or piece of equipment thrown or shot by any member of the defending Team including the Coach or non-playing Team Personnel, a “Penalty Shot” shall be awarded to the non-offending Team.
When a Coach or non-playing Team Personnel is guilty of such an act, they shall receive a Game misconduct penalty and be ordered to the Dressing Room. The incident will be reported to the Proper Authorities for possible further disciplinary action.

If, when the Goalkeeper has been removed from the ice, any member of their Team (including the Goalkeeper) not legally on the ice, including the Coach or non-playing Team Personnel, interferes by means of their body, stick or any other object or piece of equipment with the movements of the puck or an opposing Player in the neutral or Attacking Zone, the Referee shall immediately Award a Goal to the non-offending Team.
When a Coach or non-playing Team Personnel is guilty of such an act, they shall be automatically suspended from the game, ordered to the Dressing Room and the incident will be reported to the Proper Authorities for possible further disciplinary action.

If deemed appropriate, Supplementary Discipline can be applied by the Proper Authorities at their discretion.
→ Rule 28 – Supplementary Discipline

Any occurrence of spectator interference must be reported by the On-ice Officials to the Proper Authorities.
(I) In the event objects are thrown onto the ice by spectators and game action is compromised, On-ice Officials will stop play and the ensuing “face-off” will take place at the nearest Face-off Spot to where play was stopped;
(II) In the event of a Player being held or interfered with by a spectator, play will be stopped. If the Team of the Player interfered with is in “possession of the puck”, game action will continue until a “change of possession” occurs.