Rule 10.2 – Handling or Falling on the Puck

A player will be permitted to stop, knock down, or push the puck with their open hand. Play will not be stopped unless the player has directed the puck to a teammate in the neutral or attacking zone with the hand. No player, excluding the goaltender, may deliberately fall on the puck or gather the puck into their body.

Play will be stopped but a Minor penalty will NOT be assessed for a player who commits a “hand pass” violation.

A hand pass occurs when a player stops, knocks down, or pushes the puck with their open hand, thereby directing the puck to a teammate in the neutral or attacking zone. This includes where the puck deflects off any person or object prior to the teammate gaining possession and control of the puck.
No goal may be scored as a result of a hand pass.

A Minor penalty for Handling the Puck will be assessed for a player, except the goaltender, who commits any of the following infractions:
Closes their hand on the puck and, by doing so, gains an advantage. This will not include a player who closes their hand on the puck to catch or stop the puck and immediately drops it to the ice without gaining or attempting to gain an advantage.
Deliberately falls on or gathers the puck into their body while standing or laying on the ice.
A Penalty Shot will be awarded to the non-offending team for violations of (iii) and (iv), when the infraction occurs inside the offending team’s goal crease (see Rule 4.11 (a)(v) – Penalty Shots and Rule 1.5 (c) – Goal Crease)
The Referee will Award a Goal to the non-offending team for violations of (iii) and (iv), when the infraction occurs inside the offending team’s goal crease and the goaltender has been legally substituted for an extra skater (see Rule 4.12 (a) – Awarded Goals).

A Minor penalty for Handling the Puck will be assessed to a goaltender who deliberately falls on or gathers the puck into their body or holds or places the puck against the goal, while outside their crease, thus delaying the game.

No Major penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.
No Match penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.
No Misconduct penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.
No Game Misconduct penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.

INTERPRETATIONS
Interpretation 1	Rule 10.2 (a)(i) Where a player in the neutral or attacking zone hand-passes the puck back into their defending zone and a teammate gains possession and control of the puck, play would continue. Note: For the purpose of this rule, the position of the puck and not that of the player’s skates determines which zone the player is in when the hand pass is completed.
Interpretation 2	Rule 10.2 (a)(i) QUESTION: A player on Team A bats the puck with the hand. The puck hits an opposing player, rebounds and is picked up by another player of Team A. Does play continue or is play stopped? ANSWER: Play is stopped. Play can only continue if the non-offending team gains possession and control of the puck. Since the puck only hit the opposing player (possession but not control), play would be stopped. This situation should be the guiding principle of any variations of this rule.
Interpretation 3	Rule 10.2 (a)(ii) If an attacking player bats the puck and it is deflected into the goal by any player (attacking or defending) or goaltender, the goal will NOT be allowed. The key principle of this rule is that no goal can be scored when an attacking player bats the puck, unless the puck is subsequently clearly “shot” into the goal. After any batted puck, the Referee or Linesperson should watch closely for a clear shooting action. If the puck enters the goal and no clear shooting action was observed, disallow the goal.
Interpretation 4	Rule 10.2 (a)(iii) General guidelines for closing the hand on the puck: When a player closes their hand on the puck and then throws the puck, stop play immediately. A Minor penalty for Handling the Puck must be assessed. When a player closes their hand on the puck and tries to maneuver around another player while holding the puck, or where a player is prevented from playing the puck by the player changing the general location of the puck while holding it, a Minor penalty for Handling the Puck must be assessed. When a player takes a stride while holding the puck in their hand, assess a Minor penalty for Handling the Puck.
Interpretation 5	Rule 10.2 (a)(v) The puck is in the goal crease. A player, who is outside the crease, bats or scoops the puck out of the crease and into their body. They do not cover or grab the puck while the puck is still in the crease, just scoops it out and then grabs it or falls on it. RULING: Assess a Minor penalty under Rule 10.2 (a)(iv). The puck was not actually covered in the crease; therefore, no penalty shot may be awarded.