Ice hockey is a fast and furious sport with the puck and bodies flying all over the ice. There are times when players lose their footing intentionally or unintentionally such as when blocking shots or when taking the brunt of a body check. You may end up on the puck, but can you lay on the puck in hockey?
Players aren’t allowed to intentionally cover the puck with their body during a game as a defensive maneuver. They can do so though if they have fallen or been knocked to the ice by an opponent or the puck was shot under their body. Players can’t cover the puck with their gloves or they will get a minor penalty.
Can a Player Cover the Puck with their Body?
A player isn’t allowed to intentionally cover the puck anywhere on the ice or it will result in a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game. However, if a player is knocked to the ice or falls to the ice during a play and happens to land on the puck, it should result in a faceoff. In addition, if a player falls to the ice to block a shot and the puck ends up under his body, no penalty is called.
Read our related post NHL Delay of Game Rule (The Ultimate Guide) here.
Can a Player Cover the Puck with their Gloves?
Hockey players can’t cover the puck with their gloves either or bring the puck into their body while lying prone on the ice. This situation would also result in a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game.
What Happens if a Player Covers the Puck Inside their Goalie Crease?
In most hockey leagues including the NHL, if a players intentionally covers the puck in their own goal crease with their hand or body a penalty shot will be awarded to the opposition. If the defending team has pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and the defender covers the puck in the crease, a goal is typically awarded to the attacking team.
What Happens if a Goalie Lays on the Puck?
A goaltender may legally lay on the puck in the crease and in the immediate area of the crease when making a save or when under pressure from a nearby attacking player. However, a goaltender isn’t allowed to lay on the puck or cover it with their hands if there isn’t an opposing player nearby who is applying offensive pressure. In this situation, the netminder would be assessed a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game.
In some scenarios, a netminder may receive a minor penalty when covering the puck in their crease. For example, if the puck was shot on goal from a distance and there are no opposing players near the goaltender after the save is made, a delay of game penalty can be assessed if the goalie intentionally and unnecessarily freezes the puck in the crease.
Can a Goalie Lay on the Puck Outside the Crease?
The rules in most hockey leagues allow goaltenders to cover the puck with their hands or body while just outside of their goal crease if they are in the process of making a save and then immediately freeze the puck for a stoppage in play.
Goaltenders who leave their crease to purposely freeze the puck while their are no attacking players in the immediate vicinity or if they are in a foot race with an attacker, will be assessed a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game.
What Happens if the Puck Goes Inside a Player’s Equipment?
If a player drops to the ice to block a shot and the puck becomes lodged in their equipment, the on-ice official should whistle the play dead and re-start the game with an ensuing faceoff. However, no penalty should be called since it was an unintentional play.
What if a Player Purposely Hides the Puck Inside their Equipment?
If a referee believes that a player has deliberately placed the puck inside their equipment to gain a stoppage in play or any type of advantage, a minor penalty should be assessed.
Can a Player Hit the Puck With their Body or Hands?
All hockey players including the goaltenders, are allowed to push, sweep, check and bat the puck on the ice with their hands and other parts of the body. If the puck is propelled to a teammate with their hand in the attacking zone though, the play will be whistled dead by an official as it is deemed an illegal hand pass.
Also, a player may not intentionally direct the puck into the opposing team’s net with their body or hands. If this happens, the goal will be disallowed. Players may direct the puck with their hands to a teammate in their own defensive zone as this is a legal hand pass.
In addition, players may legally kick the puck or direct it to a teammate with their body during a game as long as it doesn’t deflect off of another player and end up in the net or go directly into the net.
Goals that are scored when a player directs the puck into the net with their feet will count as long as there wasn’t a distinct kicking motion. Any goals that are scored via a direct kicking motion will be disallowed.
Read our full guide “Can You Grab the Puck in Hockey?” here!
Final Thoughts
The aim of the NHL and most other hockey leagues is to keep the puck moving as much as possible. Unnecessary stoppages on the ice bog the game down and prolong its playing time.
Ice hockey is generally known as the fastest team sport in the world and hockey league want to keep it this way, that’s why rules for covering the puck and delaying the game have been put in place and are strictly enforced.
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.