How are icing and offside called differently at 14U?
Rule- USA
- USA Hockey
- 14U
- 14 and under
- Born 2012-2013
- Youth hockey
- 2025-29 USA Hockey rules
- 2026-27 season
- Coaches
Two rules that apply at higher levels don't apply at 14U (boys or girls):
1. A short-handed team can't ice the puck.
At 14U, icing is called even when your team is killing a penalty. The short-handed exception only starts at Youth 15-Only, Girls 16U, high school and adult.
2. No delayed offside or tag-up.
At 14U, play is stopped as soon as an attacking player precedes the puck into the zone. Delayed offside (where players can clear the zone to tag up) only applies at Youth 15-Only, Girls 16U, high school and adult.
Icing basics (all levels): a puck shot from your own half of the ice completely past the opponent's goal line is icing, with the face-off in the offending team's end. It's waved off if the puck touches an opponent, goes the length of the ice off the face-off, or the linesperson judges that an opponent (other than the goalie) could have played it. A goal still counts if the iced puck goes in.
Offside basics: a player is onside if one skate is touching the blue line or the neutral zone when the puck completely crosses the blue line. A player in control of the puck who precedes it into the zone is not offside.
Added 21 Oct 2026