USA HOCKEY REQUIRED LENGTH OF PERIODS & PENALTIES
Here is the official word on length of periods for USA Hockey games - by age level - for both "youth" and "women/girls."
This is from the section of the USA Hockey Annual Guide which was referred to by both Peter Lindberg and Larry Reid, of
USA Hockey at our last two CHC meetings. There are no set times for U-10 (Squirts) and U-8 (Mites). CHC uses 12
minute periods with penalties as outlined under "Girls'/Women's.12 & under" below.
These time of periods regulations apply to any team that is tournament declared and thus eligible to potentially go on to
Regional or National Tournaments. They do not apply to house league or house/select teams that are not declared
through CHC to be competing towards "post season" play. Per USA Hockey's "Tournament Guidelines,"
"Eligibility/Registration,"the definition of a sanctioned game (one that will count as fulfillment of the 20/10-youth or 14/10girls game requirement) is as follows:
(d) A game is a match played against another team which is registered with a member organization of the IIHF of the same
competitive level and officiated by registered officials. A game shall consist of at least three (3) periods (or the equivalent,
see XII. Q. Time of Periods), except where the game is interrupted, (by some unforeseen event) after two (2) periods have
been completed.
What is an "unforeseen event?" Unusual number of penalties or stoppages of play, delay of game caused by injured
player, clock malfunction, electrical outages - just some examples. Bottom line, you need to get in a minimum of 2 full
periods as defined in the chart below. CHC has been using a "curfew game" rule for determining the length of the third
period after two full periods have been played and the time to complete the game is running low. Take the remaining
minutes left in the time of the game slot, divide by 2 = stop time length of 3rd period. Remember, last two minutes MUST
be stop time.
Q. Time of Periods (all stop time in minutes) and Ice Clean Requirements
(1) Youth
1, 2, 3
Period
15
16
17
17
Overtime
10
10
10
10
Minor
2
2
2
2
PENALTIES
Major Miscndt Division
5
10
PeeWee's
5
10
Bantams
5
10
Midget Minor
5
10
Midget Major
(2) Girls’/Women’s
1, 2, 3
Class
Period
12 & Under
12
14 & Under
15
16 & Under
15
19 & Under
15
Senior A, B, C 15
Overtime
6
10
10
10
10
Minor
1.5
2
2
2
2
PENALTIES
Major Miscndt.
3
6
5
10
5
10
5
10
5
10
Class
12 & Under
14 & Under
16 & Under
18 & Under
(3) If, due to extenuating circumstances, running time must be used, the minutes shall be increased by fifty percent (50%).
Obviously, none of us has unlimited time to complete our games. As a general rule, allowing 1 hour 15-20
minutes per game slot for PeeWee's & Bantams and Girls U14 and older, should provide enough time to get in
the majority of games with the length of periods as prescribed by USA Hockey. Hope this helps to answer the
question.
5/23/06