QUESTION: I know that if an attacking player is in the crease and the puck is shot into the net from outside the crease it is no goal even if the player does not interfere with the goaltender. Is it also no goal if the attacking player was forced into the crease by an defending player?

ANSWER: Rule 625(b) in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“No goal may be scored with an attacking player in the goal crease unless the puck has preceded the player(s) into the goal crease or the goalkeeper is out of the goal crease area.

However, if the attacking player has been physically interfered with by the actions of a defending player that causes him to be in the goal crease, play shall not be stopped and any legal goal scored shall be allowed.”

QUESTION: Does a player coming from the penalty bench have to return to his defending zone before they can legally play a puck coming from his defending zone?

ANSWER: The rule you are asking about was removed from Youth/Girls  and Adult hockey several rule changes ago.

QUESTION: There has been some debate on a situation which occurred during a recent contest that our group cannot come to an agreement on. Team A penalty has expired and before the skater has both skates on the ice he plays the puck while still in the penalty bench with the penalty bench door open. Is this considered interference under Rule 625(A)(9)?

ANSWER: Situation #3 under Rule 625 in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“A player who is about to come onto the ice plays the puck with his stick. However, that player has either one or both skates still on the bench. What penalty, if any, shall be assessed.

A minor penalty. Rule Reference 625(a.9).

A player’s skates must not be in contact with the bench in order for him to participate in the play. This ruling would apply whether or not the team has the correct number of players on the ice. In the case of a player entering or leaving the players’ bench who intentionally plays the puck with one or both skates on the bench, the same ruling would apply.”

QUESTION: Delayed Penalties Rule 408...at 4:00, Team A #10 gets a minor for slashing. At 4:20, Team A #12 gets a minor for tripping, and Team A #14 gets a minor for unsportsmanlike. Assuming no goals against Team A, when do the players get out?

ANSWER: Your penalty situations looks like this,

Assuming there are no power-play goals scored against Team A, and there are no coincidental penalties to Team B…#10 would be able to leave the penalty bench at the first stoppage after the 6:00 mark. Either #12 or #14 (Captain’s Choice) would leave immediately at 6:20, and the other player would be able to leave immediately at 8:00.

QUESTION: With five seconds left in the third period with a 3-2 game. The defensive team player freezes the puck along the boards with his skate in his defensive zone. Referee is verbalizing to move it and counts "1...2...3" and blows whistle with two seconds on clock and calls delay of game and awards a penalty shot to the attacking team. I am looking for the rule reference that warrants this call

ANSWER: There is no rule in the USA Hockey Playing Rules that supports this call. Only a minor penalty may be awarded as a result of Delaying the Game by making the puck unplayable along the boards.

QUESTION: A goalkeeper breaks their stick and drops it. Can the goalkeeper skate to the bench during play to get a replacement?

ANSWER: There is nothing preventing a goalkeeper from going to his/her team bench during play.

QUESTION: Player A breaks their stick and drops it. Can Player B grab a replacement for Player A (meaning Player B will for a short time have two sticks in order to hand-off the stick to their teammate)?

ANSWER: A player can legally carry two sticks as long as they do not participate in the play. They must either pass one stick away or drop one stick before playing the puck. This rule does not apply if they are accidentally stuck by the puck during play.

QUESTION: Are refs allowed to use windbreakers for warm ups?

ANSWER: Strictly speaking, there is no rule or policy that prevents an official from wearing a plain black/grey jacket during the warm-up period. Assuming they can remove it, be in uniform and be ready for the game with no delay.

QUESTION: During a game. We had a coach who was unhappy with the calls the officials were making. Saying things like "You are making bad calls". What is your recommendation for how to respond to this? Just a warning, a bench minor, anything?

ANSWER: There is no exact formula to managing a Team Official’s behavior. However, reviewing Rule 601 and its Casebook Situations should provide some guidelines.

QUESTION: When assessing and timing a minor + misconduct, checking from behind, does the misconduct time start concurrently with the minor (offending player in penalty box for 10 minutes total with 2nd player serving the two minutes), or at the conclusion of the minor (12 minutes total assuming no goal allowed while shorthanded)?

ANSWER: If a player receives a Minor and Misconduct penalty he must serve the entire twelve minutes (2+10) consecutively. The additional player his team must place in the box is serving the shorthanded time (not the Minor itself). Since the Minor penalty must be served first (and posted on the penalty clock) the additional player is in the box so their team will have someone available to leave the penalty box and enter the game at the end of the Minor.

If the opposing team scores during the shorthanded Minor penalty time, the Minor is immediately terminated and the Misconduct penalty begins. In other words, the player who received the penalties will be released at the first whistle after ten minutes after the goal.

QUESTION: What is the maximum amount of goalies that can be rostered?

ANSWER: Rule 201.a in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“A maximum of 20 players, in which not more than 18 are skaters, shall be permitted to play in the game.“

There is a limit to how many “skaters” a team may play with, but no limit to goalkeepers.

QUESTION: Are coaches, with the use of their mouths aloud to make a whistle like sound for line changes?

ANSWER: There are no USA Hockey Playing Rules that prohibit this behavior.

QUESTION: Can you take a slap-shot as a 10U team?

ANSWER: There are no USA Hockey Playing Rules that prohibit slap-shots at the 10U level.

QUESTION: What should the referee do if a player get checked into a door other than the players bench or penalty bench door and the door opens should the referee stop play immediately or let play continue.

ANSWER: Play should be immediately stopped when a rink door (other than a team bench door, or penalty bench door with a penalty bench attendant) opens during play. If a team bench door or penalty bench door opens during play and presents a safety risk to players, play must also be stopped immediately.

QUESTION: Under what circumstances is a goalie permitted to make contact with a puck that is above the shoulders (high stick) and be exempt from being penalized under the high sticking regulations?

ANSWER: Under USA Hockey Playing Rules, a goalkeeper is not permitted to play the puck that is above the height of the shoulders with his/her stick.

QUESTION: A player is taking a penalty shot. The goalie comes out of the crease and poke checks the puck and the puck rolls up and over the blade continuing towards the net. The player reaches back, regains possession of the puck and puts it into the net. Is it a good goal?

ANSWER: Assuming the player did not take a shot (i.e. not a rebound attempt), and the puck stayed in forward progression toward the goal (i.e. the puck did not change direction), then this would be considered a good goal.

QUESTION: During a delayed offside, an offside player closely follows behind the defenseman carrying the puck out of the zone. The second the puck crosses the blue line, he lifts the opponent's stick and steals the puck. At this instant, the puck is out of the attacking zone but the player is still in it. Is this a legal play, or should play have been stopped because the offside player was pressuring the opponent?”

ANSWER:  During a delayed (tag-up) off-sides situation, the attacking team is obligated to clear the attacking zone. They should not pursue the puck. If the official is certain an attacking player is aware they are part of a delayed off-side play and they pursue the puck carrier, then play should be stopped and Intentional Off-sides should be called (face-off located in the offending team’s end-zone).

However, if the attacking player is not aware of the off-side play (e.g. a real close play at the blue line) and pursues the puck carrier, play should be stopped to avoid any body contact during the off-side situation and the face-off should be located at the nearest neutral zone face-off spot.

QUESTION: Can a goalie take a face off in his/her defensive zone if he uses a player stick? We had a situation where the goalie broke his stick and had to use a player stick for the rest of the game (Rule 301b). A goalie can't participate in a face-off with his own stick (Rules 613a, 301b & 303), but those rule references only disallow the goalie from participating in the face off due to his stick size. In this case, the goalie is using a player stick.

ANSWER: A goalkeeper may not participate in a face-off under any circumstances.

QUESTION: What is the USA Hockey rule if a player's stick is broken from a blocked shot and they throw the broken shaft at the opposing puck carrier?

ANSWER: Rule 637 in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

"(a) A minor penalty shall be assessed to any player on the ice who shoots or throws any portion of his stick or any other object in the direction of the puck.

(Note) When a player discards the broken portion of a stick by tossing it to the side of the rink (and not over the boards) in such a way as will not interfere with play or an opposing player, no penalty shall be assessed.

However, a penalty shot/optional minor penalty shall be awarded to the non-offending team if done in his defending zone. The Referee shall allow play to be completed and provided no goal is scored, the penalty shot/optional minor is awarded to the player who was fouled. If the player fouled is not readily identified, the Captain of the non-offending team shall select the player to take the penalty shot from those players who were on the ice at the time the infraction occurred.

(b) A penalty shot/optional minor penalty shall be awarded to the non-offending team anytime a player is interfered with by any object thrown or shot in his direction by a defending player or team official during a breakaway.

For the purpose of this rule a “breakaway” is defined as follows: A player who is in possession and control of the puck (see Glossary), is beyond his defending blue line with no opponent between him and the goalkeeper.

A goal shall be awarded to the non-offending team if the goalkeeper has been removed from the ice and the stick or other object is thrown or shot in the direction of the puck and prevents an obvious and imminent goal.

(c) A misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player who throws any portion of his stick or any other object outside of the playing area. A game misconduct penalty shall be assessed if done in protest of an official’s decision or if thrown at or in the direction of a spectator.

QUESTION: Do you get to choose what games you ref, or a certain location?

ANSWER: The USA Hockey National Office does not coordinate game assignments or game assignors. In all cases, USA Hockey games in your local area are either assigned by an Independent Contractor Assignor or Local Officiating Association who makes an agreement with the local hockey associations and leagues.

Typically, there is time allotted at each Level 1 Classroom Seminar where the local game assignment process is reviewed and contact information is shared (e.g. “Email John Smith when you receive your Card and Crest”).

Furthermore, the assignment process varies across the country. In some cases, a local assignor makes phone calls and emails confirming availability for games, and in other cases officials are asked to join an online assignment software system where they plug in weekly availability and receive games to confirm each week.

To find out more about the assignment process in your area, we recommend contacting your local USA Hockey representatives using the contact information listed through the Officiating Directory. You can use the Officiating Directory link under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com to find more information.

QUESTION: A player in the neutral zone but behind the center red line makes a pass to a teammate (who is on-sides but across the red line) who can play the puck but misses the pass without a deflection. The puck was gainable and the teammate made an effort. It just seems like the puck didn’t hit the stick for whatever reason. Is this icing?

ANSWER: A teammate must make contact with the puck that is shot/passed from behind the Center Red Line to nullify an off-sides call.

QUESTION: An attacking player is tripped and loses control of the puck, and a delayed penalty is signaled. The goaltender pokes away the loose puck with his stick, but it goes to an attacking player who puts it in the net. Should this count as a goal, or was the poke check sufficient to establish possession and control (meaning play should have been stopped for the penalty call)?

ANSWER: The USA Hockey Playing Rules Glossary defines “Possession” as,

“Placing your stick on the puck in an effort to establish control or to deliberately direct the puck with any part of the body. The last player to have intentionally played the puck is considered to have “possession of the puck.” A player may be in “possession of the puck” without establishing “control of the puck.” However, a player must first gain “possession of the puck” prior to being considered in “control of the puck.”

QUESTION: During a shootout, the player skates down the ice and starts to cut across the net in front of the goalie. Is that player allowed to do a full hockey stop with both the player and the puck coming to a complete stop and then shoot?

ANSWER: A penalty shot attempt is meant to be one fluid attempt with no stopping or changing direction away from a direct route towards the goal. Therefore, a player may not stop and pause in front of the goal during a penalty shot attempt.

QUESTION: Play continued after Team A thought they scored a goal. The next stoppage occurred when the refs called a penalty on Team B. The refs talked to each other and decided to award Team A with the goal from the previous play. The refs also still enforced the penalty on Team B, with the face-off in Team A’s zone. Was this the correct?

ANSWER: If the game officials determine that a goal was scored during a play previous to a stoppage, the goal should be awarded and the game clock should be reset to the time of the goal. Any delayed penalty prior to the stoppage must be assessed and served, and the face-off should be located at center ice.

QUESTION: Could you please tell me if this scenario would count as a good goal? An attacking player deliberately kicks a puck on net, the goalie makes the save and then the attacking player shoots the rebound in.

ANSWER: Rule 627(c) in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“Kicking the puck shall be permitted provided the puck is not kicked by an attacking player and entered the goal either directly or after deflecting off any player including the goalkeeper.”

Since it is legal to kick the puck, the first attacking player did not commit any infraction of the playing rules. The rebound off the goalkeeper is “fair game” and the goal should be awarded.