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Hockey Rules “Simplified”
You just watched your child’s USA Hockey game and now you are watching an NHL game on TV. A play occurs in the NHL game exactly as it occurred in your child’s game, yet the resulting call by the officials is very different. Why? In this section we will explore the rules of USA Hockey and how they differ in intent and enforcement from other levels of hockey.
Objectives
• Understand that USA Hockey, the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of ice hockey in the United States, produces the playing rules used in youth hockey games
• Work toward a general understanding of USA Hockey rules
• Be aware that these rules are specifically designed for youth hockey players
• Be aware that some of these rules are different from the rules used in High School, Junior A and B, College and Pro hockey
• Understand that the USA Hockey rules differ in focus and intent from the rules used at these other levels of hockey
Key Concepts
• Youth hockey games played under the auspices of USA Hockey use USA Hockey rules
• Some of these rules are different from those used in other levels of hockey
• There is equipment available on the market that does not conform to USAH rule standards
• There is a difference between body contact and body checking
• Some of the general USAH rules can be modified for different levels of youth hockey
Content
RULES OF THE GAME
The rules governing youth hockey are written by and may be altered every other year by USA Hockey’s Board of Directors. These rules and their enforcement coincide with the USA Hockey’s philosophy of youth hockey. Therefore, these rules are different in intent and implementation from those used in High School, Juniors, College and in the National Hockey League. The USA Hockey Rule Book is divided into six parts. Here is a brief summary of each part of the rules for youth games.
PART ONE: THE RINK
The standard size rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide (commonly referred to as NHL-size rink). Rinks can be as wide as 100 feet (commonly referred to as Olympic-size rink). Although these are the two standard sizes, rink dimensions may vary.
The net is placed on the goal line, a red line that is between 12 to 15 feet from the end boards (ideally 13 feet from the end boards). The net itself is 4 feet high and six feet wide. The goal crease is a semicircle that has a radius of 6 feet using the center of the goal line.
At the middle of the ice is the center ice Red Line, which divides the ice surface in half. At a distance of 60 feet from each goal line are the two Blue Lines. The spaces between each Blue Line and end boards determine a team’s Defending Zone (where that team’s goalie guards their net) and a team’s Attacking Zone (where that team shoots at the other net). The space between the Blue Lines is called the Neutral Zone. There are red Face-off Dots in each zone.
PART TWO: TEAMS
A team can have as many as 20 players, and the highest number of non-goalies they can have is 18. Each team must designate a Head Coach, who is .in control of and responsible for the actions of all team personnel.. Each team can have one Captain and up to two Alternate Captains; a goalie cannot serve as a Captain or Assistant Captain. All players of each team shall be dressed uniformly.
PART THREE: EQUIPMENT
Sticks: no longer than 63 inches (160 cm) from the heel to the end of the shaft; the blade can be no more than 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide; the curve from the base of the heel to the base of the toe can be no more than 3/4 inch. A minor penalty occurs if a player uses an illegal stick.
Skates: must be true hockey skates of a design approved by the Rules Committee. (A player cannot wear goalie skates, speed skates, etc.)
Goalie equipment: Blocker-hand glove = no more than 8 inches (20.3 cm) wide and no more than 16 inches (40.6 cm) in length. Catching glove = cuff no more than 8 _ inches (21.6 cm) wide and circumference no more than 48 inches (121.9 cm). Leg guards: no more than 12 inches (30.5 cm)in width. A minor penalty occurs if a goalie uses illegal equipment.
Protective Equipment: For all players this MUST include: HECC-approved helmet with the chinstrap securely fastened; HECC-certified full face mask; for Pee Wee and above, a colored internal mouthpiece is required (USA Hockey recommends that it be form-fitted by a dentist).
Protective Equipment Should also includes: hockey gloves, shin pads, shoulder pads, hip pads, protective cup and tendon pads. A misconduct penalty occurs when a player does not properly use a mouthpiece, or when a player does not wear protective equipment in the manner for which it was designed.
Puck: the standard puck is made of black vulcanized rubber, is 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick; it weighs between 5 _ and 6 ounces. For the 8-or-under classifications, it is mandatory to use a blue puck weighing between 4 and 4 _ ounces.
PART FOUR: PENALTIES
There are 5 classes of penalties: Minor/Bench Minor, Major, Misconduct/Game Misconduct, Match and Penalty Shot.
Minor/Bench Minor Penalty: The player who committed the infraction (other than the goalie) sits in the Penalty Box for two minutes* and that team will play .short-handed.. For a Bench Minor penalty, a player of the penalized team (not a goalie) who was on the ice at the time of the infraction must serve the penalty. If the opposing team scores a goal while a team is short-handed because of one or more Minor/Bench
Minor penalties, one of the penalties will end. When there are coincident Minor penalties to players of both teams, those players go immediately to the Penalty Box and cannot leave until the first stoppage after their penalty time expires; however, neither team plays .short-handed. in this situation.
Major Penalty: The player who committed the infraction (other than the goalie) sits in the Penalty Box for five minutes* and that team will play short-handed. Even if the opposing team scores a goal(s), this penalty does not end until the full time has expired.
Misconduct Penalty: The player who committed the infraction (other than the goalie) sits in the Penalty Box for ten minutes* but the team will not play .short-handed.. The penalized player cannot return until the first stoppage after the penalty expires.
Game Misconduct: The player who committed the infraction is prohibited from further play in that game and is automatically suspended for the next game. The team will not play .short-handed. in this situation. If a Team Official (Coach, Manager, etc.) receives a Game Misconduct, they must leave the Players. Bench immediately (except for a violation of the fifteen penalties/game rule), may not direct play of the team and will be suspended for the next game.
Match Penalty: The player who committed the infraction is prohibited from further play in the game. Another player (not a goalie) sits in the Penalty Box for five minutes* under the same conditions as in a Major Penalty. The player who committed the infraction will be suspended from all USA Hockey games and practices until the case has been handled by the Proper Authorities (as determined by the Affiliate). If a Team Official (Coach, Manager, etc.) receives a Match Penalty, they must leave the Players. Bench immediately, may not direct the play of the team and will be subject to the same disciplinary action.
Penalty Shot: A player will have an opportunity to skate in one-on-one against the opposing goalie with no other players involved. The offended team has the option to choose a Minor Penalty instead of a Penalty Shot.
*Note: In some games with shorter playing times, the length of a penalty may be reduced accordingly.
PART FIVE . OFFICIALS
USA Hockey games are officiated with two basic systems: the 2-Official System and the 3-Official System. In the 2-Official System both Officials are authorized to call penalties; they must also call Off-Sides and Icing. In the 3-Official System, the Referee (the Official wearing the red/orange arm bands) is basically authorized to call all penalties and the two Linesmen handle Off-Sides and Icing.
PART SIX . PLAYING RULES
MINOR PENALTIES: For these infractions a player remains in the penalty box for a maximum
of two minutes and that team may be short-handed for two minutes.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct
• Shooting puck after whistle
• Instigator of fisticuffs (any physical interaction between players that results in a penalty or penalties being assessed)
• Players not going to Players Bench after altercation during altercation
• Holding
• Interference (impeding the progress of an opponent who is not in possession of the puck)
• Leaving Players. Bench or Penalty Bench during an altercation
• Stick contact with goalie
• Clipping (leaving feet and contacting an opponent, thereby causing the opponent to fall)
• Player or goalie deliberately shooting puck outside of playing surface
• Goalie shoots the puck directly outside the playing surface, except if the puck inadvertently location where there is no glass or screen.
• Freezing puck along boards
• Falling on puck
• Picking up puck from ice
• Goalie wearing illegal equipment
• Thrown stick during penalty shot
• Goalie leaving crease during altercation
• Goalie participating in play across center red line
• Playing with an illegal stick
• Equipment not worn properly under uniform
MINOR or DOUBLE MINOR: For double minor penalties the player remains in the penalty box for a maximum of four minutes and the team may be shorthanded.
Penalty Criteria- Double minor penalties count as two separate penalties toward a player’s maximum of five/game and toward the Head Coach’s maximum of fifteen/game.
• Unnecessary roughness
MINOR OR MAJOR OR MAJOR + GAME MISCONDUCT (IF INJURY OCCURS): For major penalties, the player remains in the penalty box for a maximum of five minutes. If a Major +Game Misconduct penalty is assessed, the player incurring the penalty is prohibited from further play in that game and is automatically suspended for the next game. A teammate (not a goalie) must immediately serve the Major penalty in the Penalty Box. The team remains shorthanded even if the opposing team scores a power-play goal(s).
Penalty Criteria- A Major + Game Misconduct counts as two separate penalties toward a player.s maximum of five/game and toward a Head Coach’s maximum of fifteen/game.
• Boarding
• Charging
• Cross-Checking
• Elbowing/Kneeling
• High Sticking
• Hooking
• Slashing
• Tripping/Leg checking
• Body-checking in a no-check game
• Avoidable check
• Checking opponent after whistle
• Head Contact (intentionally or recklessly contacting an opponent in the head)
Major plus Game Misconduct required if injury results.
MAJOR + GAME MISCONDUCT: Same penalty criteria as above.
• Head-butting
• Grabbing facemask
• Leaving Players. Bench or Penalty Bench during altercation
• Spearing (poking an opponent with tip of the stick blade while holding the stick with one or both hands, whether contact is made or not)
MAJOR + GAME MISCONDUCT or MINOR or DOUBLE MINOR: Same penalty criteria as above.
• Fisticuffs
MINOR + MISCONDUCT: Penalty criteria- A Minor + Misconduct counts as two separate penalties toward a player’s maximum of five/game and toward a Head Coach’s maximum of fifteen/game. A teammate (not a goalie) must immediately serve the Minor penalty in the Penalty Box.
• Not surrendering stick for measurement
MINOR + GAME MISCONDUCT: Same penalty criteria as above.
The player incurring this penalty is prohibited from further play in that game and is automatically suspended from the next game. A teammate (not a goalie) must immediately serve the Minor penalty in the Penalty Box.
• Drop glove(s) and/or stick and instigate altercation.
BENCH MINOR or GAME MISCONDUCT or BENCH MINOR+ GAME MISCONDUCT: Same penalty criteria as above.
• Team Official on ice without permission
MINOR + MISCONDUCT or MAJOR + GAME MISCONDUCT: Same penalty criteria as above.
• Checking from behind
MATCH: The player who committed the infraction is prohibited from further play in the game. Another player (not a goalie) sits in the Penalty Box for five minutes* under the same conditions as in a Major Penalty. The player who committed the infraction will be suspended from all games and practices until the case has been handled by the Proper Authorities (as determined by the Affiliate). If a Team Official (Coach, Manager, etc.) receives a Match Penalty, they must leave the Players. Bench immediately, may not direct the play of the team and are subject to the same disciplinary action.
• Injury or attempt to injure Game Official
• Injury or attempt to injure opponent
• Detrimental behavior
• Injury or attempt to injure non-player
• Cutting opponent with taped hand
MATCH OR MAJOR + GAME MISCONDUCT: Same penalty criteria as above.
• Kicking opponent
MISCONDUCT: Penalty criteria- Player receiving a Misconduct Penalty must sit in the Penalty Box for ten minutes. The team does not play short-handed.
• Helmet/facemask not worn on bench
• Mouthpiece violation (after one Team warning)
• Protective equipment violation
• Distraction during penalty shot
• Persisting in unsportsmanlike conduct
• Player using obscene, profane, abusive language
• Throwing equipment out of rink
• Not proceeding directly to penalty bench or dressing room
• Player in Referee’s Crease
• Nonphysical interference with any Game Official
GAME MISCONDUCT: A player receiving a Game Misconduct is prohibited from further play in that game and automatically suspended for the next game. When a Team Official (Coach, Manager, etc.) receives a Game Misconduct, they must leave the Players. Bench immediately (except for a violation of the fifteen penalties/game rule), may not direct the play of the team and will be automatically suspended for the next game.
• Second major penalty in same game
• Five penalties to same player in same game
• Player persisting in unsportsmanlike conduct after receiving a Misconduct penalty
• Obscene gesture
• Racial/ethnic slur
• Team official persisting in poor conduct after receiving a Bench Minor
• Team official physically interferes with a on-ice or off-ice official
• First player to intervene in altercation
MISCONDUCT or GAME MISCONDUCT: Same penalty criteria as above.
• Touching or holding Game Official
• Continuing altercation after warning
• Player banging boards or glass with stick
• Throwing stick out of playing area
GAME MISCONDUCT or MATCH PENALTY: Same penalty criteria as above.
• Swinging stick at opponent during altercation
PENALTY SHOT
• Deliberate illegal substitution
• Goalie deliberately displaces goal net (not during breakaway)
• Deliberately removing helmet/facemask during breakaway
• Thrown stick during breakaway
• Illegal entry with breakaway
PENALTY SHOT or AWARDED GOAL
• Deliberately displacing goal net with scoring opportunity
• Player falling on puck in crease
• Stick thrown at puck in Defending Zone
• Fouled from behind on breakaway
AWARDED GOAL
• Deliberate displacing of goal net preventing a goal
• Goalie.s stick left in front of goal net, preventing goal
NOTE: Individual Leagues and Organizations have the right to modify these rules to make them more
strict than the USA Hockey standards. However, these groups cannot modify these rules to make them
less stringent that the USA Hockey standards.
Once scoring information and penalties are entered on the Official Score Sheet and the Sheet is signed by Coaches and Officials no additions, deletions and/or changes are permitted.
ICING:
When a player of a team at equal or superior numerical strength to the opposing team shoots the puck from his/her own half of the ice (behind the Red Line) and it goes beyond the goal line of the opposing team it
is an icing violation, unless a player of the opposing team (other than the goalie) was able to play the puck before it passed the goal line; no .touch-up. by the defending team is required. As a result of icing, a face-off will occur at an end zone face-off dot of the offending team.
OFF-SIDES
When a player of the attacking team precedes the puck across the Blue Line into the attacking zone, Off-Sides occurs. On all Off-Sides, the whistle will be blown immediately; there is no Delayed Off-sides. As a result of an Off-Sides, a face-off (usually in the Neutral Zone) will occur. There is no Off-Sides pass at the Red Line.
FACE-OFFS
Face-offs are only conducted along imaginary lines connecting the face-off dots marked on the ice. USA Hockey uses the “fast face-off” procedure (Note: this is different from the “fast line-change” Procedure used at other levels of hockey).
BODY CONTACT vs. BODY CHECKING
Body contact is contact that occurs between opponents during the normal process of playing the puck, provided there has been no overt hip, shoulder or arm contact to physically force the opponent off the puck.
Body checking occurs when a player checks an opponent who is in possession of the puck by using hip or body from the front, diagonally from the front or straight from the side and does not take more than two fast steps in executing the check. Legitimate body checking must be done only with the trunk of the body (hips and shoulders) and must be above the opponent’s knees and below the neck. If body checking is unnecessarily rough, it must be penalized.
EQUIPMENT SELECTION
Although this is covered in more detail in another area of this study guide, those who are purchasing equipment should be aware of the fact that “off-the-rack” equipment is not always legal for use under USA Hockey rules. Manufacturers are selling to the general public, not specifically to USA Hockey players. The best example of this is the stick. Sticks can be purchased .off-the-rack. with curves that are illegal under USA Hockey rules.
ENTERTAINMENT vs. FOLLOWING vs. DEVELOPMENT
USA Hockey rules differ from the NHL and College because each of these levels of play serves a different purpose.
The NHL is designed to entertain the fans, increase attendance and viewership - it is a business! The penalty criteria are structured to keep the players on the ice while still allowing officials to maintain control over game play. The officials call the game differently because they are given guidelines to call the game that are different from those used by USA Hockey.
College rules also differ from USA Hockey because the focus of college hockey is not the same as in USA Hockey. While development is an important aspect of college hockey, following and fan base (especially at Division I) are a factor in the formation of these rules.
USA Hockey rules are designed to keep the players safe and to facilitate player development. Although there is a parent following, it is not predicated upon the game style or on winning. While the family may enjoy going out to watch the children play, there are no contracts or TV timeouts to worry about. The rules are modified or interpreted to encourage player development and safe play.
MODIFIED GAMES
Some teams use “cross-ice”, which enables multiple teams to use a single sheet of ice for practices and games. Teams skate sideboards to sideboards with a protective barrier in between. Smaller nets, a lighter puck and a reduced number of players in “cross-ice” are examples of modifications in the playing environment that meet the needs of specific age groups.
As previously noted, games played with shorter time periods may have the length of some penalties shortened accordingly.
There is no body checking permitted at youth 10-and-under or younger or at all Girls/Women’s levels.
Even at these levels, some body contact does occur.
There are no slap shots permitted at youth 10-and-under and Girls/Women 10-and-under and younger levels.
Sled Hockey is played with modified rules that allow the athlete to play from a seated position.
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