Section 4 - Playing Rules

1. The HOME TEAM will wear white jersey, and be responsible for a change in jersey color in case of a color conflict.
2. The HOME TEAM will provide the visiting teams with warm-up pucks. All District 9 tournament sites will provide warm-up pucks for all games.
3. Penalty time for all games in District 9 league games will be:
   1. 2 minutes for each minor penalty in games at the Bantam level, U15, Pee Wee and U12 1 minute 30 seconds in games at all other levels Squirt & U10.
   2. 5 minutes for major penalty for all games.
   3. 10 minutes for misconduct penalty for all games.
4. A fighting penalty (5 minute major assessed by the referee), by a District 9 player received during a league, tournament, scrimmage, or exhibition game will be a 2 game suspension. Pursuant to USAH rules a fighting penalty carries an automatic Game Misconduct (which is a “next game” suspension). In addition to the “next game” suspension the penalized player will sit the next district 9 league or playoff game for a total of 2 game suspension. There are no appeals for this infraction. The second fighting infraction will require the player to come before the District 9 Executive Committee for a hearing.                                                                                              The Executive Committee will then recommend to the District Director the penalty for offending player. Upon a second infraction, the Player will be suspended from their team games until the hearing has taken place and the penalty has been determined.
5. Checking from behind will be recorded on the score sheet as two penalties.
6. There are no timeouts allowed in league games.
7. 15 second face-off rule/procedure.
   1. When the referee blows their whistle for a stoppage of play, the visiting team will have 5 seconds to change their lines.
   2. The referee will then raise their arm (signifying visiting team line change is completed).
   3. The referee will then allow the home team their change (also for 5 seconds).
   4. When the referee drops their arm, the linesman dropping the puck will blow their whistle, and begin counting from 5 down to 0. If the centers are ready to go, linesman will drop the puck without counting.
   5. When the linesman gets to 0, the puck is going to be dropped for play. If a player is off side on the face off, the linesman will signal the offending teams’ center out of the face-off.
   6. This will be the only warning.
   7. If the same team causes a second delay, a minor penalty for delay of game will be issued by the referee.
8. All players, including goal keepers, are required to follow Minnesota Hockey rule regarding internal mouthpiece.
9. During District, region and state tournaments, running time shall be used whenever a goal differential of six (6) occurs in the third (3rd) period. If the goal differential becomes less than six (6), stop time shall again begin.
10. Where running time is used in District, region or state tournament play, the clock shall not be stopped for any reason except for injuries or rink problems and only at the discretion of the referee. Penalties shall begin at the face-off immediately following the assessment of the penalty. Penalties shall not be posted on the scoreboard unless they can be entered without stopping the clock.
11. There will be no resurfacing for 10U, 15U, 12U, Squirt, PW and Bantam league games (unless agreed to by both coaches). If a game includes resurfacing, there will be only one resurface per game.
12. A one-minute rest period will be allocated between periods.
13. Minimum time allotted to play for Bantam, PW, Girls 12U, and 15U games is recommended to be one hour and 15 minutes.
14. All League Bantam, PW, 15U and 12U games will be 15-minute stop-time periods with a 5-minute pre-game warm-up (exception to this rule in part a).
    1. If there is not enough rink time remaining to play a full 3rd period, the referee and coaches will agree on the remaining time of the ice, and play a reduced, stop-time period until the game expires.
15. All League 10U and Squirt games will be 12-minute stop-time periods with a 5 minute warm-up. See 14(a) above.
16. Scheduled warm-up begins when both teams are on the ice or when the scheduled ice time begins, whichever is first.
17. Mites and Mini-Mites. Mites are considered 8 years old and younger, Mini-Mites are considered 6 years old and younger. Mini-Mites must play all games cross-ice. Mites may play cross-ice, half-ice, or 6 full-ice after December 31st to be determined by the two teams when the game is scheduled.