NCAA rule changes up for final approval Thursday
With the demise of the much-maligned icing rule change earlier this month, the only significant change area college hockey fans may notice this upcoming 2010-11 season is an increased severity for blow to the head penalties.
Under the rule changes tentatively approved earlier this month, a blow to the head could result in a minimum five-minute major penalty with either a game misconduct or game disqualification, if approved as expected during a telephone conference call of the NCAA ice hockey rules committee Thursday.
"That's consistent with the great emphasis in a (league) memo that went out at midseason," Tigers coach Scott Owens has said, adding he would like to see a two-minute minor allowed as an option for officials if they rule the blow was unintentional.
The rules are reviewed every two years.
Other items expected to receive final approval Thursday:
• Eliminate obtainable pass rule. This gave the officials discretion to wave off icing in cases where they believed a pass attempt was being made.
• Alter the delayed penalty rule to provide the non-offending team a power play, even if a goal is scored during the delay.
• Change which end each team defends during overtime (goalies would now switch ends at end of regulation).
