USA HOCKEY RULES QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH VERIFIED STUDY
SOLUTIONS.
A team arrives with only five players, but is willing to play the entire game short-handed. Should
the game be played? - ANS No. Rule Reference 201(a). A team is defined as having six players.
If a team cannot put six players on the ice at the start of the game, it is not considered a "team"
and must forfeit the game to its opponent.
During the game, through injuries and penalties, a team is unable to place four players on the
ice. Can the game proceed? - ANS No. Rule References 201(a) and 408(a). Any time a team is
reduced to below four players on the ice during a game for any reason, the game shall be
forfeited. Players in the penalty bench with delayed penalties are not permitted to participate in
the game (on the ice) or leave the penalty bench until their penalties expire.
During the game a Team Captain advises the Referee that the opposing team has more than the
allowable number of Team Officials occupying the players' bench. What action should the
Referee take? - ANS Once the Referee has become aware of the violation, they shall direct
the offending team to reduce the number of Team Officials on the players' bench to a maximum
of four. Rule References 201(b) and 610(h). No penalty is assessed at that time. However, if the
situation is not corrected or occurs again during the same game, the Referee shall assess a
bench minor penalty for delaying the game to the offending team.
During the course of the game, a team no longer has a properly registered coach available to
them on the bench. Can the game continue? - ANS Yes. Rule Reference 201(b). The game
shall be allowed to continue provided that team has adult supervision on the players' bench.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,This person may come from the stands and should be a registered member of USA Hockey in
some capacity. If no such person is available, the game should be suspended and a report
provided to the proper authorities.
During the course of the game the referee is notified that Players or Team Officials that have
received a previous suspension are participating in the game. The suspended individuals did not
sit out or fulfill their obligated suspension time. Should the referee penalize the offending
team? - ANS No. Rule Reference 201(c). The referee may not be aware of the time period
that has taken place between games and therefore cannot enforce suspensions to Players or
Team Officials. The referee is required to report the incident to the proper authorities for
further review.
A player/coach is suspended for the team's next regularly scheduled game and because of
circumstances out of the control of the player/coach, the opponent forfeits the game. Does this
forfeited game count towards serving the suspension? - ANS There may be some special
circumstances that warrant the suspension being served (i.e. Game forfeited while both teams
are on site due to circumstances out of the offending player/ coach control). It is best that the
Proper Authorities take into consideration the circumstances involved and the "good faith"
effort of the suspended party to serve the suspension while reviewing each instance. There are
also situations (the game is forfeited days in advance) where the suspension would definitely
not be considered served.
The Referee notices that a team has three players with a "C" on their uniforms during the pre-
game warm-up. How many players should the Referee allow to act as Captain? - ANS One.
Rule Reference 202(a). In this situation the Referee should look at the game sheet to determine
the Captain. If there is more than one Captain designated, the Referee must ask the Coach to
appoint only one of the three players to act as the team's Captain. The Referee must also inform
the Coach that the other two players will be allowed to have Captain's privileges, but they must
be designated as Alternate Captains.
The Team Captain and the Alternate Captain(s) are incapacitated by reasons of injuries or are
unavailable due to penalties and the Referee deems it necessary to convey a message to the
bench. With whom shall the Referee communicate? - ANS Any player on the ice with whom
the Referee elects to converse. Rule Reference 202(a). The Referee has the authority to select a
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, player on the ice to convey the message to the bench. Failure of a team to have a captain
available is not justification for a Referee to not communicate when doing so would assist in
managing the game.
A team refuses to designate a Captain at the beginning of the game. Should the Referee assess a
penalty? - ANS No
May a goalkeeper be designated as a Captain or Alternate Captain? - ANS Yes. However, the
goalkeeper cannot exercise the privileges of the Captain during the game as outlined in this
rule. Rule Reference 202(a). There is no rule preventing a goalkeeper from being named a
Captain or Alternate Captain as an honor by the team to show leadership. However, that
goalkeeper may not exercise Captain's privileges during a game. Doing so would unnecessarily
delay the game if the goalkeeper were allowed to leave the goal area for any discussion and
then go to the bench area to relay any message and finally back to the goal area and be
prepared for the resumption of play.
There is a question of a rule interpretation. The Referee wants to explain the rule to the Captain,
but notices that the Captain and both Alternate Captains are seated on the players' bench.
What should the Referee do? - ANS If the Captain is still participating in the game (they are
not removed from the game because of penalty, injury, etc.), they should be invited from the
players' bench to discuss the interpretation with the Referee. Rule Reference 202(a).
There is a question of a rule interpretation and the Captain comes off the bench to protest the
decision of the Referee. What should the Referee do? - ANS If the Captain leaves the bench
for a discussion without being invited to do so, and makes a complaint or protest, they must be
assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct under this rule. Rule Reference 202(b).
A team has 16 skaters plus two goalkeepers listed on the game scoresheet. A skater who is not
listed on the scoresheet participates in the game. What action should the Referee take when it
is brought to their attention? - ANS Add the skater's name to the scoresheet, and assess a
bench minor penalty to the player's team. Rule Reference 203(a). All penalties incurred and
goals/assists awarded to that skater shall stand. The team may not elect to send the skater to
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
ANSWERS WITH VERIFIED STUDY
SOLUTIONS.
A team arrives with only five players, but is willing to play the entire game short-handed. Should
the game be played? - ANS No. Rule Reference 201(a). A team is defined as having six players.
If a team cannot put six players on the ice at the start of the game, it is not considered a "team"
and must forfeit the game to its opponent.
During the game, through injuries and penalties, a team is unable to place four players on the
ice. Can the game proceed? - ANS No. Rule References 201(a) and 408(a). Any time a team is
reduced to below four players on the ice during a game for any reason, the game shall be
forfeited. Players in the penalty bench with delayed penalties are not permitted to participate in
the game (on the ice) or leave the penalty bench until their penalties expire.
During the game a Team Captain advises the Referee that the opposing team has more than the
allowable number of Team Officials occupying the players' bench. What action should the
Referee take? - ANS Once the Referee has become aware of the violation, they shall direct
the offending team to reduce the number of Team Officials on the players' bench to a maximum
of four. Rule References 201(b) and 610(h). No penalty is assessed at that time. However, if the
situation is not corrected or occurs again during the same game, the Referee shall assess a
bench minor penalty for delaying the game to the offending team.
During the course of the game, a team no longer has a properly registered coach available to
them on the bench. Can the game continue? - ANS Yes. Rule Reference 201(b). The game
shall be allowed to continue provided that team has adult supervision on the players' bench.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,This person may come from the stands and should be a registered member of USA Hockey in
some capacity. If no such person is available, the game should be suspended and a report
provided to the proper authorities.
During the course of the game the referee is notified that Players or Team Officials that have
received a previous suspension are participating in the game. The suspended individuals did not
sit out or fulfill their obligated suspension time. Should the referee penalize the offending
team? - ANS No. Rule Reference 201(c). The referee may not be aware of the time period
that has taken place between games and therefore cannot enforce suspensions to Players or
Team Officials. The referee is required to report the incident to the proper authorities for
further review.
A player/coach is suspended for the team's next regularly scheduled game and because of
circumstances out of the control of the player/coach, the opponent forfeits the game. Does this
forfeited game count towards serving the suspension? - ANS There may be some special
circumstances that warrant the suspension being served (i.e. Game forfeited while both teams
are on site due to circumstances out of the offending player/ coach control). It is best that the
Proper Authorities take into consideration the circumstances involved and the "good faith"
effort of the suspended party to serve the suspension while reviewing each instance. There are
also situations (the game is forfeited days in advance) where the suspension would definitely
not be considered served.
The Referee notices that a team has three players with a "C" on their uniforms during the pre-
game warm-up. How many players should the Referee allow to act as Captain? - ANS One.
Rule Reference 202(a). In this situation the Referee should look at the game sheet to determine
the Captain. If there is more than one Captain designated, the Referee must ask the Coach to
appoint only one of the three players to act as the team's Captain. The Referee must also inform
the Coach that the other two players will be allowed to have Captain's privileges, but they must
be designated as Alternate Captains.
The Team Captain and the Alternate Captain(s) are incapacitated by reasons of injuries or are
unavailable due to penalties and the Referee deems it necessary to convey a message to the
bench. With whom shall the Referee communicate? - ANS Any player on the ice with whom
the Referee elects to converse. Rule Reference 202(a). The Referee has the authority to select a
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, player on the ice to convey the message to the bench. Failure of a team to have a captain
available is not justification for a Referee to not communicate when doing so would assist in
managing the game.
A team refuses to designate a Captain at the beginning of the game. Should the Referee assess a
penalty? - ANS No
May a goalkeeper be designated as a Captain or Alternate Captain? - ANS Yes. However, the
goalkeeper cannot exercise the privileges of the Captain during the game as outlined in this
rule. Rule Reference 202(a). There is no rule preventing a goalkeeper from being named a
Captain or Alternate Captain as an honor by the team to show leadership. However, that
goalkeeper may not exercise Captain's privileges during a game. Doing so would unnecessarily
delay the game if the goalkeeper were allowed to leave the goal area for any discussion and
then go to the bench area to relay any message and finally back to the goal area and be
prepared for the resumption of play.
There is a question of a rule interpretation. The Referee wants to explain the rule to the Captain,
but notices that the Captain and both Alternate Captains are seated on the players' bench.
What should the Referee do? - ANS If the Captain is still participating in the game (they are
not removed from the game because of penalty, injury, etc.), they should be invited from the
players' bench to discuss the interpretation with the Referee. Rule Reference 202(a).
There is a question of a rule interpretation and the Captain comes off the bench to protest the
decision of the Referee. What should the Referee do? - ANS If the Captain leaves the bench
for a discussion without being invited to do so, and makes a complaint or protest, they must be
assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct under this rule. Rule Reference 202(b).
A team has 16 skaters plus two goalkeepers listed on the game scoresheet. A skater who is not
listed on the scoresheet participates in the game. What action should the Referee take when it
is brought to their attention? - ANS Add the skater's name to the scoresheet, and assess a
bench minor penalty to the player's team. Rule Reference 203(a). All penalties incurred and
goals/assists awarded to that skater shall stand. The team may not elect to send the skater to
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
