Rule 627. Passes

1. (For Youth, Girls/Women, and Adult non-checking games)

   The puck may be passed by any player to a player of the same team within any of the three zones into which the ice is divided and may be passed forward by a player in his own Defending Zone to a player of the same team anywhere in the Neutral Zone.

   (For Juniors and Adult male checking games)

   The puck may be passed by any player to a player of the same side within any one of the three zones into which the ice is divided, but may not be passed forward from a player in one zone to a player of the same side in another zone, except by a player on the defending team, who may make and take forward passes from their own Defending Zone to the center red line without incurring an offside violation. This pass, however, must be completed by a receiving player who is legally onside at the center red line, or by a receiving player who is preceded by the puck across the center red line, otherwise play shall be stopped and the face-off shall be conducted at the spot from which the pass originated.

   (Note 1) The position of the puck (not the player's skates) shall be the determining factor in deciding from which zone the pass was made.

   (Note 2) Passes may be completed legally at the center red line in exactly the same manner as passes at the attacking blue line.

2. Should the puck, having been passed, contact any part of the body, stick or skates of a player of the same team who is legally onside, the pass shall be considered to have been completed.

3. The player last touched by the puck shall be deemed to be in possession.

   Rebounds off goalkeeper's pad or other equipment shall not be considered as a change of possession or the completion of the play by the team when applying Rule 409(b) (Calling of Penalties).

4. (For Youth, Girls/Women, and Adult non-checking games)

   If the puck precedes all players of the attacking team into their Attacking Zone, any player is eligible to play the puck except when Rule 620 (Icing the Puck) applies.

   (For Juniors and Adult male checking games)

   If a player in the Neutral Zone is preceded into the Attacking Zone by the puck passed from the Neutral Zone he shall be eligible to take possession of the puck anywhere in the Attacking Zone except when the ``Icing the Puck'' rule applies.

5. If a player in the same zone from which a pass is made is preceded by the puck into succeeding zones, he shall be eligible to take possession of the puck in that zone except where the ``Icing the Puck'' rule applies.

6. (For Juniors and Adult male checking games)

   If an attacking player passes the puck backward toward his own goal from the Attacking Zone, an opponent may play the puck anywhere regardless of whether he (the opponent) was in the same zone at the time the puck was passed or not (no ``slow whistle'').

7. (For Juniors and Adult male checking games)

   If the Linesman shall have erred in calling an offside pass infraction (regardless of whether either team is shorthanded), the puck shall be faced on the center face-off spot.