Fastpace
The Devil's Advocate in Person
I have included the definition of interference below. I was overwhelmingly surprised to see that the rule does not indicate that you cannot be penalized for interference if you are in front of the opponent.
When I was in University I worked at The Beer Store and our manager used to tell us "the customer is always right, no matter how wrong they are".
It is amazing how often I am reminded of that quote.....
View attachment 855151
Rule 56 – Interference
56.1 Interference - 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 his opponent, traveling in
the same direction. A player who is behind an
opponent, who does not have the puck, may not use
his stick, body or free hand in order to restrain his
SECTION 7 – RESTRAINING INFRACTIONS
ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE OFFICIAL RULES 2023-2024
78
opponent, but must skate in order to gain or
reestablish his proper position in order to make a
check.
A player is allowed the ice he is standing on
(body position) and is not required to move in order
to let an opponent proceed. A player may “block” the
path of an opponent provided he is in front of his
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 his body position to
lengthen an opponent’s path to the puck, provided
his stick is not utilized (to make himself “bigger” and
therefore considerably lengthening the distance his
opponent must travel to get where he is going); his
free hand is not used and he does not take
advantage of his body position to deliver an
otherwise illegal check.