Be the Referee: Puck on Goal Netting
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
December 9, 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 – Puck on Goal Netting - Listen
We’re on the ice today, where after being last touched by Team A, the puck comes to rest on top of the goal netting. What happens?
New this year in high school ice hockey: If a puck is on the top of the goal netting, it’s an immediate stoppage. The puck is considered out of play.
It goes back into play via a faceoff from the nearest faceoff dot in the defending team’s zone.
Why the change from previous years? Because a puck on top of the netting creates too many problematic scenarios to be considered playable – you could have high sticking, closed hand (handling of the puck), goalkeeper contact or player-in-the-goal-crease.
If the puck is on top of the goal netting, blow the whistle and resume with a faceoff.
Previous 2025-26 editions
Dec. 2: Goaltending vs. Basket Interference - Listen
Nov. 25: Football Finals Instant Replay - Listen
Nov. 18: Volleyball Libero Uniforms - Listen
Nov. 11: Illegal Substitution/Participation - Listen
Nov. 4: Losing a Shoe - Listen
Oct. 28: Unusual Soccer Goals - Listen
Oct. 21: Field Hockey Penalty Stroke - Listen
Oct. 14: Tennis Double Hit - Listen
Oct. 7: Safety in Football - Listen
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen
PHOTO Marquette's Skyler Blackburn and Negaunee goalie Kurt O'Brien scramble for the puck during a Nov. 8 matchup. (Photo by Randy Ritari.)
Story in Photos: 2025 Ice Hockey Semifinals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 7, 2025
PLYMOUTH – The 2024-25 hockey season will conclude Saturday with all three No. 1-ranked teams at the end of the regular season playing to finish the MHSAA Tournament also on top at Plymouth's USA Hockey Arena.
Division 2 will start Saturday’s MHSAA Finals at 11 a.m. with top-ranked Flint Powers Catholic (24-4) facing No. 4 Livonia Stevenson (18-8-2). Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood will play for a repeat in Division 3; the No. 5 Cranes (19-8-1) will face top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary's (22-5-2) at 3 p.m. The Division 1 Final will feature top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central (27-2) playing for a sixth-straight title, vs. No. 3 Howell (24-3-2), with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. to finish the day.
Hockey Weekly Action Photos captured plenty of action from the Semifinals – all photos below are by John Castine.
A Howell player works to maintain possession during Friday's 5-4 Division 1 Semifinal overtime win over Salem with Abel Dubanik (84) applying pressure.
Detroit Catholic Central's Nino Suhy (2) rips a shot during his team's 8-0 Division 1 win over Sparta on Friday. He had two goals and an assist.
The Shamrocks' Connor Laird (15) moves the puck up ice as Sparta's Jameson Meendering (5) trails. Laird finished with a goal and an assist.
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and Painesdale Jeffers players work to gain possession of the puck during the Cranes' 2-1 win in Division 3 on Friday.
Cranbrook's Nick Timko celebrates one of his two goals with teammates GianLuca DiSalvo (9) and Cam Rocchini (10).
Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Alpena face off during the Eaglets' 9-1 Friday win in Division 3.
The Eaglets' Julian Johnston (9) and an Alpena player battle for possession. Johnston finished the victory with two goals and three assists.
Livonia Stevenson goalie Mark Besedin deflects a shot during his team's 6-2 win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Division 2 on Thursday.
Stevenson's Tanner Champoux (6) celebrates during his team's win to reach the Division 2 Final for the first time since 2016.
Flint Powers Catholic goalie Hunter Clark walls off a side of the goal as Grandville's Bennett Eisma (21) makes a run toward the crease during the Chargers' 4-3 Division 2 win Thursday.
Powers' Blake Dawson controls the puck as his team advanced to play for a potential second title over the last three seasons.
TOP PHOTO Howell players and fans celebrate their team's 5-4 overtime win over Salem on Friday at USA Hockey Arena.