Legal Check?

[middie&dLax2]

In a game last week end i got called for a slash. My opponent with the ball had fallen down yet the ball stayed in his stick, so i checked the ball out of his stick while he was on the ground. The reff called this a slash and said you couldn't check some one when they were on the ground. It sounds like BS to me but Im wondering if it was the right call.

[laxfan25]

The rule is that you can't bodycheck an opponent with anything but his two feet on the ground, which would be an illegal bodycheck call, not a slash. If you were called for checking the stick simply because the player was on the ground, that would appear to be an incorrect interpretation. If however you did a lumberjack windup while checking the stick that could merit a slash call...

[LaxRef]

I agree with LF25; if he said you aren't allowed to stick check when the opponent is on the ground, he was just plain wrong. If your coach was solid on the rules (and if you play under NFHS rules), your coach could have challenged the rules interpretation (although he can't challenge a judgment call, the official's explanation actual reveals that he made the call because he didn't understand the rule).

[WHEELAX2]

the only real stipulation would be if he deemed that you weren't checking under control..

[CoachRob]

It seems as if he drew a wide circle around checking, to include stick checking, as being illegal when a player is down. In fact, it is just the body check that is illegal. I think he goofed. Hey, when was the last time you played a perfect game? We are all learning. Your coach could have challenged this under 7.13.