House Hockey Rules

Louisville Ice Cardinals House Hockey

Louisville Ice Cardinals House Hockey follows USA Hockey rules as outlined in their rulebook which can be downloaded from this link.

USA Hockey rule changes for the 2025-2029 seasons.

Scorekeeping/Clock Responsibilities

The "Home" team is responsible for running the clock and keeping score using the game sheets provided at the front of the rink in the trays on the wall to the left of the front doors.

Instructions for operating the clock are located on the inside of the operating console. The console can be found at the Iceland Office and Front Desk.

PERIOD LENGTH:

Periods are fifteen (15) minutes running clock.

TIME OUTS:

Each Team is entitled to one, one minute time out during the game.

PENALTY LENGTHS: The following are the penalty times for each type of infraction, according to age group:

Level: 9U - 16U/18U

• Minor - 1:30 min
• Major - 4:00 min
• Misconduct - 8:00 min
• Match - 4:00 min

RUNNING CLOCK RULE: At all levels of play, in games between Louisville Ice Cardinals House teams (whether league or exhibition games though not including End of Season Tournament Games) a running clock rule is in effect.

a.   The clock will run continuously except when a player is injured.

b.   Penalties occurring during a running clock will also be on running time. No adjustments to penalty time lengths will be made. If a penalty expires during a play stoppage, the player may not leave the penalty box until the puck is dropped at the next faceoff. Scorekeepers may stop the clock to input the penalty on the scoreboard but must then immediately start the clock following the input.

TEN-GOAL RULE: At all levels of play, in games between Louisville Ice Cardinals House teams a ten-goal mercy rule is in effect. If one team attains a lead of ten goals, at any time during the game, the game terminates, the score and all statistics are final and under no circumstances shall play be permitted to continue.

LOUISVILLE ICE CARDINALS HOUSE SUPPLEMENTAL RULES AND POLICIES

The following rules are in addition to those in the USA Hockey rulebook:

Helmets

Helmets are required for all coaches at all times while on the ice.

Helmets are required for any person under 19 while on the bench or in the penalty box regardless of whether that person is involved in the game or assisting in any other manner.

Team Creation

Louisville Ice Cardinals has adopted a club-wide standardized evaluation process. The process uses a computer model to evenly distribute players among the teams based on ratings of the players by the evaluation team.

Age Groups

No player shall play outside of their specified age groups without prior consent from the league commissioner or assistant commissioner. This includes players from the 9-11 age group playing up or players from the 12-14 age group playing down. Violations of this rule will result in a forfeit for the team committing the violation and a potential 1 game suspension for the player violating the rule.

Non-Registered Players

Under no circumstances shall a player who is not registered for a House League Team enter the ice as a player.

Equal Ice Time

The goals of the Louisville Ice Cardinals House program are to improve the skills of every player in every level of the program and for all participants to have fun. Therefore, it is Louisville Ice Cardinals' policy that all players on House teams receive equal ice time. This is best accomplished by having every player play in all game situations, with teams setting their lines and rotating through those lines throughout the game.

At the 9-11U and 12-14U levels, the equal ice time rule applies throughout the game for all game situations without exception.

The application of equal ice time may have several interpretations. As long as the spirit of the policy is not violated, there will be no problems. For example, if a team has 13 skaters, it is perfectly fine to have nine forwards and four defensemen for the entire game. If a team has 12 skaters, it is o.k. to have eight forwards (with two players double shifting at a position) and four defensemen as long as there are two different players double shifting each period. However, moving a player who double shifted at, for example center, the first period, then moving that player to defense the second period is not playing within the spirit of the policy.

Equal Ice Time Violations:

Commissioners and coaching directors are obligated to look into complaints of equal ice time violations. If a coach is found to have violated the equal ice time rule in a particular game, and his team has won that game, the win will be voided and the game will be recorded as a forfeit for that team.

Checking

There will be no checking at any level of the Louisville Ice Cardinals house program.

Slapshots

Slapshots are not permitted at the 9-11U level.

Sportsmanship

A major goal of the Louisville Ice Cardinals House program is to teach sportsmanship. After all games, all players, coaches and anyone else who serves on the bench shall line up at center ice and shall participate in the traditional handshake. Players or coaches who avoid this ritual or engage in other unsportsmanlike conduct will be subject to a minimum one-game suspension.

Tie Games

If a game is tied at the end of regulation play the game shall be recorded as a tie.

Zero Tolerance

In accordance with USA Hockey guidelines, Louisville Ice Cardinals adheres to the zero tolerance policy in regards to abuse of officials and inappropriate spectator behavior. (See related brochure USA Hockey's Zero Tolerance Policy)

Game Management

During a game, the commissioner (or his designee) shall have complete authority and responsibility to administer all off-ice issues.

A game will be considered official if two full periods have been played. If there is limited time in the ice slot that will not allow for the completion of a full third period, an abbreviated third period will be played. At the end of the second period, the referee will determine the length of the abbreviated third period (typically by dividing the amount of remaining ice time in half). Regardless of the amount of time left on the scoreboard clock during either the third period or overtime, the game will end when the Zamboni doors are opened by the rink management for the next ice cut.

Parents who operate the clock, keep score and work the penalty boxes are off-ice officials for that game and must conduct themselves in a professional manner, (i.e. refrain from loud yelling), and must never yell at or question officials or officials' calls.

Tournament Play

The last weekend of the first and second session are set aside for tournament play. The tournament is single elimination. All teams make the tournament, and tournaments are seeded by regular season standings with the top team playing the lowest ranked team and so on. In the event of an odd number of teams the top ranked teams will receive a bye into the second round. The last minute of all tournament games will be stopped clock if the goal differential is 3 or less. In the event of a tie, tournament games will immediately be decided by a 3 player shoot out with subsequent rounds in the event of a tie.