Slashing

[Pegasus]

I have a few questions.

1)The first one is probably pretty basic, but my team got quite a few slashes called for this. People on my team would wind up(I'm not talking about a huge wind up, just the stick being 45* behind the shoulder, if you understand what i mean) Anyways, they would either check their bottom hands, sticks, or arm pads. Also, slap checks were also being called as slashes when they would hit their bottom hands, sticks or arm pads. So is it a slash or not?

2) If your hand is on the stick, is it considered part of the stick, or not?

3) If the goalie is out of the crease, is it illegal to poke check and slap check their hands. We got slashes called for that.

Thanks in advance. I had trouble explaining #1, so if you can't comprehend it then don't bother trying to, because it probably doesn't make much sense at all.

[CoachRob]

1) The first one is probably pretty basic, but my team got quite a few slashes called for this. People on my team would wind up (I'm not talking about a huge wind up, just the stick being 45* behind the shoulder, if you understand what I mean). Anyways, they would either check their bottom hands, sticks, or arm pads. Also, slap checks were being called as slashes when they would hit their bottom hands, sticks or arm pads. So is it a slash or not?

First off, I would need to be there to know for sure. But the arm is NOT considered part of the crosse; only the gloved hand in contact with the stick is. If you really wind up, then it is likely to be called a slash. A REALLY big wind up, even if you do NOT make any contact, can still be called a slash. So, not being there, it's hard to say. But wild hits are probably going to be called. Best to keep the stick head moving fewer than two feet and you should generally be safe. But at the end of the day, it's a slash if the official CALLS it a slash. This is the ultimate judgement call, so it's hard to say. But keep the contact with the stick or gloved hand, and keep the wind up to a minimum, and you should be safe.


2) If your hand is on the stick, is it considered part of the stick or not?

Yes, it is considered part of the stick when in contact with the crosse.


3) If the goalie is out of the crease, is it illegal to poke check and slap check their hands? We got slashes called for that.

A GK OUT of the crease is considered a field player for purposes of rule enforcement. The problem is that many attackmen see this as a chance to "exact revenge" and take wild shots that get called as slashes. Once out of the crease (that means no part of his body is inside the crease or touching the crease line), the GK is no longer entitled to any special protection. Unfortunately, they tend to draw illegal body checks or slashes as it is rare for them to leave the confines of the crease, and A-men figure it's open season on the GK. Refs tend to watch these hits carefully knowing this, and you tend to get away with less against a GK than a field player in my experience.

Did that help? :nofear:

[LaxRef]

Yes, it is considered part of the stick when in contact with the crosse.

However, be aware of:

A.R. 14. Can a defensive player, who does not have reasonable access to an opponent’s crosse and makes no apparent attempt to dislodge the ball or prevent a feeder’s pass, choose to strike repeatedly the lower gloved hand on the crosse with undue force to inflict physical damage or “beat the hand to death”? RULING: No—slashing, personal foul.

Other than that, everything CoachRob said is spot on.

[Pegasus]

Thanks guys, this really helped a lot.

[3rdPersonPlural]

OK, I called this a slash and suffered opprobrium from coach and team alike, but I wasn't sure what to call it and it was wrongwrongwrong.

It was a poke check, but it caught the attacker on the arm and the head of the defender's stick bent almost double. If it weren't for the shoulder pads the attacker was wearing, the check would have slid up the arm and caught the helmet with considerable force.

Is there a better way to call poke checks that imitate medeival lance tactics than flagging them as 'slashes'?

[LaxRef]

It was a poke check, but it caught the attacker on the arm and the head of the defender's stick bent almost double. If it weren't for the shoulder pads the attacker was wearing, the check would have slid up the arm and caught the helmet with considerable force.

Is there a better way to call poke checks that imitate medeival lance tactics than flagging them as 'slashes'?

A poke check can be called as a slash. I usually won't call it unless it hits the opponent's head or throat, but I have called poke checks to the ribs when they've been particularly hard. And while smart coaches know that pokes are less likely to be called slashes than slaps, that doesn't give the players a waiver for the slashing rules.

[CoachRob]

It's a slash. It didn't hit the gloved hand or the crosse. End of discussion.

[LaxRef]

It's a slash. It didn't hit the gloved hand or the crosse. End of discussion.

Well, there is some consideration to be given to how hard it hit. No decent official is going to call a little tap a slash just because it didn't hit the stick or the gloved hand on the stick. Of course, you're probably taking from the fact that the head of the crosse folded in half that it was a "definite strike or blow." :chuckle:

[CoachRob]

Well, there is some consideration to be given to how hard it hit. No decent official is going to call a little tap a slash just because it didn't hit the stick or the gloved hand on the stick. Of course, you're probably taking from the fact that the head of the crosse folded in half that it was a "definite strike or blow." :chuckle:

Of course, my amigo. If it is just a tap, no call. But impaling the arm? Slash by definition.