USA Hockey Rules 2025 QUESTIONS |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
WITH ANSWERS |\
A team arrives with only five players, but is willing to play
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
the entire game short-handed. Should the game be
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
played? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Yes.
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
Rule Reference 201(b). The game shall be allowed to
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
continue provided that team has adult supervision on the
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
players' bench. 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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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?
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
- CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Any |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
player on the ice with whom the Referee elects to
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
converse. Rule Reference 202(a). The Referee has the |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
authority to select a 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? -
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔No |\ |\
May a goalkeeper be designated as a Captain or Alternate
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
Captain? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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 |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
WITH ANSWERS |\
A team arrives with only five players, but is willing to play
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
the entire game short-handed. Should the game be
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
played? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Yes.
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
Rule Reference 201(b). The game shall be allowed to
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
continue provided that team has adult supervision on the
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
players' bench. 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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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?
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
- CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Any |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
player on the ice with whom the Referee elects to
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
converse. Rule Reference 202(a). The Referee has the |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
authority to select a 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? -
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔No |\ |\
May a goalkeeper be designated as a Captain or Alternate
|\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
Captain? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔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 |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ |\
