(a) The Referee(s) shall have general supervision of the game and shall have full control of all game officials and players during the game, including stoppages; and in case of any dispute, his decision shall be final. The Referee shall remain on the ice at the conclusion of each period until all players have proceeded to their dressing rooms.

(b) All Referees and Linesmen shall be dressed in black trousers and official sweaters.

They shall be equipped with approved whistles, tape measure and an official stick measuring gauge.

(c) The Referee(s) shall order the Teams on the ice at the appointed time for the beginning of a game and at the commencement of each period. If for any reason, there is more than fifteen (15) minutes' delay in the commencement of the game or any undue delay in resuming play after the fifteen-minute intervals between periods, the Referee shall state in his report to the Commissioner the cause of the delay and the club or clubs which were at fault.

(d) It shall be his duty to see to it that all players are properly dressed, and that the approved regulation equipment (including the approved on-ice branded exposure program) is in use at all times during the game.

(e) The Referee(s) shall, before starting the game, see that the appointed Game Timekeeper, Penalty Timekeeper, Official Scorer and Goal Judges are in their respective places and ensure that the timing and signalling equipment are in order.

(f) It shall be his duty to impose such penalties as are prescribed by the rules for infractions thereof and he shall give the final decision in matters of disputed goals. The Referee may consult with the Linesmen, Goal Judge or Video Goal Judge before making his decision.

(g) The Referee shall announce to the Official Scorer regarding the legality of an apparent goal. The Official Scorer, with the assistance of the Video Goal Judge, will confirm the goal scorer and any players deserving of an assist. See also Rule 57 (Note) - Goals and Assists.

The Referee shall have announced over the public address system the reason for not allowing a goal every time the goal signal light is turned on in the course of play. This shall be done at the first stoppage of play regardless of any standard signal given by the Referee when the goal signal light was put on in error.

The Referee shall report to the Official Scorer the name or number of the goal scorer but he shall not give any information or advice with respect to assist.

(NOTE) The name of the scorer and any player entitled to an assist will be announced on the public address system. In the event that the Referee disallows a goal for any violation of the rules, he shall report the reason for disallowance to the Official Scorer who shall announce the Referee's decision correctly over the public address system.

The infraction of the rules for which each penalty has been imposed will be announced correctly, as reported by the Referee, over the public address system. Where players of both Teams are penalized on the same play, the penalty to the visiting player will be announced first.

Where a penalty is imposed by the Referee which calls for a mandatory or automatic fine, only the time portion of the penalty will be reported by the Referee to the Official Scorer and announced on the public address system, and the fine will be collected through the League office.

(h) The Referee shall see to it that players of opposing Teams are separated on the penalty bench to prevent feuding.

(i) He shall not halt the game for any infractions of the rules concerning off-side play at the blue line or center line, or any violation of Rule 65, icing the puck. Determining infractions of these rules is the duty of the Linesmen unless, by virtue of some accident, the Linesman is prevented from doing so in which case the duties of the Linesman shall be assumed by the Referee until play is stopped.

(j) Should a Referee accidentally leave the ice or receive an injury which incapacitates him from discharging his duties while play is in progress, the game shall be automatically stopped.

(k) If, through misadventure or sickness, the Referee and Linesmen appointed are prevented from appearing, the Managers or Coaches of the two clubs shall agree on a Referee and Linesman. If they are unable to agree, they shall appoint a player from each side who shall act as Referee and Linesman; the player of the home club acting as Referee and the player of the visiting club as Linesman.

(l) If the regularly appointed Officials appear during the progress of the game, they shall at once replace the temporary Officials.

(m) Should a Linesman appointed be unable to act at the last minute or through sickness or accident be unable to finish the game, the Referee shall have the power to appoint another in his stead, if he deems it necessary, or if required to do so by the Manager or Coach of either of the competing Teams.

(n) If, owing to illness or accident, the Referee (or one Referee in a Two Referee game) is unable to continue to officiate, one of the Linesmen (or the remaining Referee in a Two Referee game) shall perform the duties of the ill or injured Referee during the balance of the game. If the Linesman is to be assigned the Referee or Officiating Supervisor will select him. In the event that an NHL Supervisor is in attendance at a game where a spare Official is present, he shall have the authority to substitute the injured Referee with the spare Official.

(o) The Referee shall check club rosters and all players in uniform before signing reports of the game.

(p) The Referee shall report to Commissioner promptly and in detail the circumstances of any of the following incidents:

(i) When a stick or part thereof is thrown outside the playing area - Rule 88(c) - Throwing Stick;

(ii) Every obscene gesture made by any person involved in the playing or conduct of the game whether as a participant or as an official of either Team or of the League, which gesture he has personally observed or which has been brought to his attention by any game official - Rule 73(a) - Obscene or Profane Language or Gestures;

(iii) When any player, Trainer, Coach or club executive becomes involved in an altercation with a spectator - Rule 68(b) - Interference by/with Spectators;

(iv) Every infraction under Rule 27(b) - Major Penalties, major and game misconducts.

(q) In the event of failure by a club to comply with a provision of the League constitution, by-laws, resolutions, rules or regulations affecting the playing of a game, the Referee shall, if so directed by the Commissioner or his designee, refuse to permit the game to proceed until the offending club comes into compliance with such provision.

Should the offending club persist in its refusal to come into compliance, the Referee shall, with the prior approval of the Commissioner or his designee, declare the game forfeited and the non-offending club the winner. Should the Referee declare the game forfeited because both clubs have refused to comply with such a provision, the visiting club shall be declared the winner.

If the game is declared forfeited prior to its having commenced, the score shall be recorded as 1-0 and no player shall be credited with any personal statistics.

If the game was in progress at the time it is declared forfeited, the score shall be recorded as zero for the loser and 1, or such greater number of goals that had been scored by it, for the winner; however, the players on both clubs shall be credited with all personal statistics earned up to the time the forfeit was declared.

(r) In the event of any dispute regarding time or the expiration of penalties, the matter shall be referred to the Referee for adjustment and his decision shall be final. He may use the Video Goal Judge to assist in rendering the final decision. (See Rule 93(g) - Video Goal Judge.)

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