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USA Hockey: "Checking" versus "body contact"

By Chicago Blues Hockey Club, 05/27/13, 9:00AM CDT

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While "checking" was recently eliminated from Pee Wee hockey last season, body contact was not. In fact, "body contact" is part of competitive hockey at all levels.

The concept of skating, angling, containing and positioning your body to impede the progress of a puck carrier and steal the puck is an important and legal tactic. 
Legal "body contact" occurs when a skater makes body contact while angling or impeding the puck carrier and attempts to steal the puck.

"Body checking" is legal at Bantam. A player may legally attempt to separate a puck carrier from the puck using the trunk of his body. Illegal "body checks" include taking more than two strides to make contact, contact with the head, jumping, extending the arms and hitting from behind.

The key difference between "body contact" and "body checking" lies in the defenders attempt to play the puck entirely through the play. Watch the video below from USA Hockey.