Be the Referee: Ice Hockey Overtime

January 19, 2017

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains high school overtime rules for ice hockey.

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Ice Hockey Overtime - Listen

It has often been said that one of the most dramatic moments in sports is in a hockey game that is a one-goal game or tied late in the game.

In ice hockey at the high school level, MHSAA regulations deal with overtime and how ties will be broken in the postseason tournament. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, up to four separate 8-minute sudden-victory overtime periods will be played. In other words, once a team scores a goal, the game is over and that team wins.

If these four 8-minute overtime periods do not produce a winner, then the game continues with 8-minute periods of 4-on-4 on each side.

Past editions
Jan 12: Free Throw Change - Listen
Jan. 5: Ratings - Listen
Dec. 22: Video Review - Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 15: Video Review - Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 8: Registration - Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 1: Registration - Part 1 - Listen
Nov. 24: You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
Nov. 17: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Nov. 10: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
Nov. 3: The Goal Line - Listen
Oct. 27: Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
Oct. 20: Point After Touchdown - Listen
Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen

Be the Referee: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar

By Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials

November 7, 2023

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen

It’s 3rd-and-goal from the 12-yard line when the quarterback throws a pass high over the middle. It goes over the out-stretched hands of the receiver, hits the crossbar of the goalposts and ricochets back toward the receiver who is able to grab it while standing in the end zone.

Is this a touchdown?

It is not. Once a pass hits the crossbar – or uprights – of the goalposts, the pass is dead. It’s an incomplete pass, and now it’s 4th-and-goal.

So … they send out the field goal unit and the kick hits an upright and also bounces back into the field of play. Is the ball returnable by either team?

Nope. Once it hits the goal post and comes back onto the field – it is a missed field goal. The defense now takes over, 1st-and-10.

Previous Editions

Oct. 31: Cross Country Interference - Listen
Oct. 24: Soccer Overtime - Listen
Oct. 17: Tennis Spin - Listen
Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen