Every four years, USA Hockey evaluates its playing rules and has the opportunity to make changes to said rules during its four-day Annual Congress gathering.
[/size]With 2017 being a rules-change year, the Board of Directors voted on and approved a notable proposal drastically affecting the game at the youth level.[/color]
[/size]Teams at the 14U-and-below age classifications will no longer be permitted to ice the puck when shorthanded. If a team ices the puck while killing a penalty, there will be an icing call made, and the ensuing face-off will take place in the defensive zone – just like even-strength play.[/color]