Which officiating systems are approved, and who conducts face-offs?

Approved NFHS systems:

• RR: two referees
• RRL: two referees and one linesperson
• 2R-2L: two referees and two linespersons

If an official can't continue:

• 2R-2L becomes RRL
• RRL becomes 2R
• 2R becomes one referee (R)

Face-offs: the referee drops the puck at the start of each period and after goals, with a linesperson option. A center who commits the first face-off violation is ejected from the face-off, and players must be stationary for the drop.

Linespersons may report an unobserved minor penalty to the referee. (USA Hockey limits this to "injury potential" minors.)

Equipment: all on-ice officials must wear a half-shield facemask.

Signals: for icing, the back official's non-whistle arm is raised to 60° above horizontal. For delayed offside, the non-whistle arm is vertical and the whistle arm is angled toward the line.