So we entered into this discussion midgame yesterday. It was a worthy topic. (Also, I don't think we have any threads under the Rulez...until now.)
The origin of the discussion was when Charlie and I were driving down the court in a two-on-one situation. Aaron was the defender. I passed to Charlie on my right, he tapped the ball with the end of his mallet. Therefore, it would have counted if it had crossed the line. Aaron's mallet got a piece of the ball and it went in.
Our discussion became a matter of when an own goal counts. Can a player shuffle the ball toward a defender near the goal in hope that the ball crosses the line?
Welp, the NAH rules cover this pretty well. Check rule 7.3 here: http://www.nahardcourt.com/2011-nah-rules/.
No, a player could not get an own goal by shuffling the ball off of the defender. Shots must originate as contact with the end of the mallet. Pretty clear.
However, I do find this language to be ambiguous: "The shuffle of the ball by the defending team into their own goal will be considered a goal if
the ball is mishandled in any way by the defending team so as to put the ball in their goal."
Hmmm. So if I shuffle the ball, a defender touches it and it bounces off of another defender into the goal, it's a goal?
Thoughts?
Go bike yourself.