(a) The puck may be passed by any player to a player on the same Team within any one of the three zones into which the ice is divided. It may not be passed forward from a player in one zone to a player on the same Team in another zone, except by players of the defending Team who may make and take forward passes from their own defending zone to the center line without incurring an off-side penalty. This forward pass from the defending zone must be completed by the pass receiver who is preceded by the puck across the center line, otherwise the play shall be stopped and the face-off shall be at the point from which the pass was made.

(NOTE 1) The position of the puck and not that of 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.

(NOTE 3) In the event the player has preceded the puck at the center line he may become eligible to play the puck if he makes skate contact with the line prior to playing the puck.

(b) Should the puck, after having been passed, contact any part of the body, stick or skate of a player on the Team who is legally on-side, the pass shall be considered complete.

(c) The player last touched by the puck shall be deemed to be in possession.

Rebounds off goalkeepers' pads or other equipment shall not be considered as a change of possession or completion of the play by the Team when applying Rule 33(b) - Calling of Penalties.

(d) If a player in the neutral zone is preceded in 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.

(e) 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.

(f) 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 the opponent was in the same zone at the time the puck was passed. (No "slow whistle.")

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