QUESTION: When a player is awarded a minor and misconduct, how long is the player in the penalty box? Twelve minutes plus whistle, or ten minutes plus whistle?

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: If the goalie unintentionally displaces the net in the act of making a save, but the displacement of the net allows him to stop a puck that very likely would have been a goal had the net stayed on it's moorings, should this be ruled a goal, save, penalty shot or something else?

ANSWER: Rule 610.e in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

"Play shall be stopped immediately when the goal frame has been displaced from its normal position. A minor penalty shall be assessed to any player (including a goalkeeper) who deliberately displaces the goal frame."

If the net was displaced unintentionally, then no penalty should be assessed.

QUESTION: A player is checked, falling to the ice. The player stands up and tracks the player that delivered the initial check 30 - 40 feet into the corner at a high rate of speed and attempts to deliver a forceful check, but misses. Because no contact is made, this is not Charging, but is there another penalty or misconduct that could be applicable?

ANSWER: There is no penalty assessed for missing a body check. Unless the player violated USAH Rule 601, we see no violation that would constitute a penalty.

QUESTION: A goalie looses his stick and is handed a player's stick by a teammate. A few seconds later the forward with no stick picked up the goalie stick to return to the goalie but enters play, after a failed kick of the puck he plays the puck with the goalie stick. Does this scenario result in a penalty under violation of rule 301(c) for "illegal equipment" as the goalie stick exceeds the player stick max measurements?

ANSWER: A player may not participate in play while in possession of a Goalkeeper Stick due to the fact that the Goalkeeper Stick does not conform to the legal dimensions of a Player Stick as outlined in USAH Rule 301.b.

QUESTION: Does this NHL rule also apply to USA Hockey games? In a situation where there is less than five minutes remaining in play, should unequal simultaneous penalties be assessed , then instead of both sides serving their full times, the minor penalty is cancelled and its time subtracted from the major penalty, which is then assessed against that team.

ANSWER: No, the USA Hockey Playing Rules do not include that rule at any level.

The USA Hockey Playing Rules are now available as a mobile device app! Check your Apple, Android, or Windows app store to download this playing rule app free of charge.

Check out the USA Hockey mobile-friendly online rulebook application! Enter usahockeyrulebook.com into your mobile device’s web browser to gain instant access to the USA Hockey Playing Rules (must have mobile or internet service).

The USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook and other educational material can be found under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com.

QUESTION: If a goalkeeper who is standing with his skate against the inside of the post ("hugging the post") uses his stick to freeze the puck between his stick, his skate blade, and the post, should a penalty be assessed?

ANSWER: In general, a goalkeeper is only allowed to cover the puck while in the “act of playing goal”. The determination as to whether a Delay of Game penalty must be assessed will be based on the location of the puck in relation to the goal-post and whether there are attacking players near the puck. A puck that is right next to the post or located a few inches behind the post would not likely qualify for a Delay of Game penalty. However, if the puck is located several inches behind the post, one could argue there is no immediate scoring opportunity and therefore the goalkeeper should be penalized if he/she covers the puck.

Additionally, a goalkeeper cannot cover a puck if there are no attacking players near the puck, regardless of where the puck is located.

QUESTION: If the puck is sitting on the top or back of the goal netting and the goalkeeper covers it with his glove while part of his body is in the crease, should a penalty be assessed?

ANSWER: Rule 631.b in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states:

"Play shall be stopped immediately if the puck comes to rest in the netting on top of the goal frame.

Play shall be stopped and deemed unplayable if the puck becomes lodged in the netting outside of either goal and neither team is able to dislodge the puck within three seconds."

However, a minor penalty for delay of game should be assessed to a goalkeeper who freezes the puck while located on the back-netting of the goal. This action is not considered in the "act of playing goal".

QUESTION: Does contact have to be made for a Charging penalty to be called? The player takes more than two strides and covers a good distance but his opponent falls before the check, and the player completely misses the hit, falling into the boards himself.

ANSWER: Under the USA Hockey Playing Rules interpretations, contact must be made for a Charging infraction to occur. This is different than other infractions (Spearing, Kicking, etc.).

QUESTION: If an offensive player’s stick is in motion to flip the puck into the net and an opponent’s stick comes between the offensive players stick and the puck, is it still a goal when the puck goes in the net even though it was flipped in by both sticks?

ANSWER: Rule 617(b) in the USA Hockey Playing Rules states,

“A goal shall be legally scored if:

-  The puck has been propelled into the goal by the stick of an attacking player provided it was done in accordance with Rule 621 High Sticks.
-  The puck enters the goal as a result of any action by the defending team.”

QUESTION: Question is on a scoresheet, a team lists 3 goalies, makes no scratches. Game ends. What's the ruling? I know rule 201 only allows 2 goalies & 18 skaters. For full clarity, the team only dressed 1 goalie.

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

“A team must start a game with a minimum of six players. Any time that a team has been reduced to less than four players, the game shall be declared a forfeit.

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

A team may list three goalkeepers on their game roster provided they do not have more than 20 total participants.

The USA Hockey Playing Rules are now available as a mobile device app! Check your Apple, Android, or Windows app store to download this playing rule app free of charge.

Check out the USA Hockey mobile-friendly online rulebook application! Enter usahockeyrulebook.com into your mobile device’s web browser to gain instant access to the USA Hockey Playing Rules (must have mobile or internet service).

The USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook and other educational material can be found under the OFFICIALS tab at USAHockey.com.