Neck laceration protectors are required equipment
Rule numbers: NFHS 3-4-4 NFHS 3-3-1
Every player has to wear a neck laceration protector, unaltered from how it was made and worn the way the maker intended; it is also on the goalkeeper's list of required gear. When a skater is missing one, or it falls off with the puck in play, an official sends the player off to the bench and the game can keep moving. Play is stopped and a minor called only if the player ignores the instruction. Required gear also has to be on during warm-ups and any on-ice time between periods, so the pregame look is the easiest moment to catch a problem.
- On the ice
- Player sent to the bench; play continues.
- Clock
- A minor only if the player refuses to comply.
- Scoresheet
- Minor for the player only on non-compliance.
Example
A defenseman loses his neck guard during a rush up the ice. An official directs him to the bench, his team changes on the fly, and the game never stops.
Common mistake: Blowing the whistle right away for a missing neck guard, or penalizing a player who heads straight to the bench as told.
Sources
- 2024-25 NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Book, Rule 3-3-1, p. 18
- 2024-25 NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Book, Rule 3-4-4, p. 19-20
Verified