Rules

NSYHL Game Rules

All NSYHL games will be played per USA Hockey rules.

Warm-up: 3 minutes (all levels)

Period Lengths:

Squirts: 3 – 11 minute periods

Penalties:

• Minor: 1 minute 30 seconds
• Major: 3 minutes
• Misconduct: 8 minutes

Pee Wees: 3-12 minute periods

Penalties:

• Minor: 1 minute 30 seconds
• Major: 3 minutes
• Misconduct: 8 minutes

Bantams: 3-13 minute periods

Penalties:

• Minor: 2 minutes
• Major: 4 minutes
• Misconduct: 8 minutes

• No time-outs allowed. 
• No overtime. If a game is tied after regulation, it will end in a draw.
• Home teams will wear dark jerseys, and away teams will wear white jerseys. If a team only has one color jersey it is the responsibility of the coach to notify the opposing team prior to the game. It is recommended that teams bring both colored jerseys to games.
• Scorekeeper will be provided by home team

• All players and team officials must be properly registered with USA Hockey
• All teams are required submit an approved USA Hockey roster to the League by October 1, 2025
• Rosters will lock on January 1, 2026. Players can no longer be added to the roster or supplemental roster.
• Per USA Hockey, a team must start a game with a minimum of six (6) players. Any time a team has been reduced to less than four (4) players, the game shall be declared a forfeit.
• Per USA Hockey, a team may have up to four (4) Team Officials on the players bench. Only players in uniform and properly rostered Team Officials may occupy the players bench.
• Dual Rostering: Players may be listed on one league roster. Players found to be listed on more than one league roster will be immediately required to be removed from all but one league roster.
• Girls rostered on Rostered on Girls teams are eligible to be double rostered on NSYHL teams.
• Home teams are responsible for submitting scores to the league website within 12 hours of completion. All games will be scored using paper scoresheets provided by the home team.
• Prior to the start of a League game, each team’s head coach shall designate on the scoresheet the players and goalkeepers who are eligible to participate in the game, marking those who are not participating as Absent.
• If a player is not mark as Absent on the scoresheet submitted to League officials, that player is deemed to have played the game.
• To be eligible for League playoffs, players need to have played a minimum of 50% of their team’s regular season games
• Goaltenders do not need to participate in a minimum of 50% of regular season games, but they need to be properly listed on the game sheet as eligible to participate in a minimum of 50% of games.
• If a team has a player participate in a game that is not properly rostered on the teams USA Hockey roster submitted to the League, the team will forfeit that game and the following game.

• Only players listed on a team’s official USA Hockey roster submitted to the NSYHL are eligible to play for that team. However, in the case a team has under 8 players available, they are permitted to pull up players from within their organization that are properly rostered on an NSYHL team. They may play with no more than 10 skaters.
• If a team wants to call up a player, the coach or team manager must reach out to their club representative. The representative will then contact the other team representative to get approval for the call up. Once a player is approved, the head coach of the team making the call up must show the approval from the NSYHL to the opposing head coach prior to the game. The player being called up must also be noted on the scoresheet submitted to NSYHL.
• Teams can call up a maximum of 3 players per game. Goalies to not count towards the total of 3 players. Teams can only call up players if they have less than 10 skaters, and they can only call up players until they reach 10 skaters. For example, if a team has 8 skaters, they may call up 2 skaters to reach a total of 10. If a team has 6 skaters, they may only call up a maximum of 3 skaters, giving them a total of 9 skaters. A skater is defined as any player besides goalies.
• A player is only eligible to be called up to play for a team they are not rostered on a maximum of 3 times. Goaltenders are eligible to be called up to play for team they are not rostered on a maximum of 7 times. 

Running Time on 5-Goal Differential:

• If a team establishes a lead with a 5-goal differential, the game clock will switch to running time. However, as soon as the goal differential is reduced to within 5 goals, the clock will revert to stop time.

Running Time When Running Over Allotted Ice Block:

• In the event of a game running long and there's a risk of teams being kicked off the ice due to an ice block ending, the clock will be set to the remaining time left in the ice block, and the clock will run. For example, if a game is scheduled from 12:30pm to 1:30pm and if the start of the 3rd period it's 1:21 pm, the clock will be set to 9 minutes and will be running clock, regardless of the goal differential.
• We kindly request that all coaches and team managers inform their parents and scorekeepers about these changes and ensure they are well-prepared to adapt to running time scenarios as necessary. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter.