Be the Referee: Ice Hockey Delay of Game
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
February 11, 2025
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen
During a high school ice hockey game, a player is assessed a minor penalty for tripping. The penalized team successfully clears the puck during the ensuing power play. A teammate of the penalized player accidentally shoots the puck directly out of play from their defensive zone.
Is this a delay of game penalty? If so, does the team go down two players?
A delay of game penalty for shooting the puck directly out of play in the defensive zone will only be assessed if the action is deliberate. If it is deemed accidental, no additional penalty is called.
In this situation, the referee determines that the puck was shot out of play accidentally. The team does not receive a delay of game penalty and remains at four skaters.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
What's My Why: Official Ron Torbert
August 26, 2026
Ron Torbert, Hanover, Md.
Ron Torbert is a current NFL referee who worked Super Bowls LVI (2022) and LIX (2025). He has been on the NFL staff since 2010, starting as a side judge before being promoted to referee in 2014.
Prior to his time in the NFL, Ron worked in the Big Ten, MAC and GLIAC, and was an MHSAA-registered football official from 1989-2001. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and Harvard Law School and also the current chair of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) Board.
Nobody else in the stadium feels what we feel, and there’s something kinda special about being part of that small-knit community.
That’s what kept me coming back and coming back. I don’t play golf, but somebody said it’s like hitting that one golf shot – you’re not a very good golfer but you hit that one shot that brings you back for the next round. Being out on the field brings me back for the next game,
Once I figured out what it took to get good at it, now I want more, and that’s what keeps me coming back. It’s always a challenge of being better next week than I was last week.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
What's My Why
Aug. 19: Kari Seitz, Mill Valley, Calif. - Watch
Aug. 13: Mike Pereira, Sacramento, Calif. - Watch
Aug. 5: Dino Paganelli, Wyoming - Watch
Aug. 3: Stacy Smith, Caledonia - Watch
July 22: Jason Nickleby, Lake Elmo, Minn. - Watch
July 15: Sam Davis, Lansing - Watch
July 9: Candace Cox, Quincy - Watch
July 1: Robert Williams, Redford - Watch
June 24: Will Godfrey, Jackson - Watch
June 19: Jarrett Skorup, Midland - Watch
June 12: Brady Driver, Sturgis - Watch
June 8: Cindy Tyzo, West Bloomfield - Watch
June 3: Jeff Spedoske, DeWitt - Watch
June 1: Mike Carrier, Commerce Township - Watch
May 27: Stan Wright, Warren - Watch
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch