AHL to discontinue hybrid icing rule

The American Hockey League's Board of Governors has voted to discontinue its current test of the hybrid icing rule, effective with Friday's games.

"We believe that 564 games has been a sufficient test period for 'hybrid icing,' and that the application of the rule has been positive for the most part," AHL president Dave Andrews said in a statement Tuesday. "But because we have more than 300 players recalled to the National Hockey League each season, it is our view that these players should have the benefit of a consistent application of the icing rule in both the AHL and NHL."

Hybrid icing is a mixture of touch and no-touch icing. It gives a linesman the discretion to blow his whistle and stop the play if he believes a defending player will reach the puck first. If the linesman believes the attacking player has a chance to reach the puck first, he lets the race to the puck play out. The linesman always will side with the defending player and will blow his whistle if he feels the race is a tie by the time the players reach the faceoff dots.

The rule will remain in effect through Thursday's games.