Here is a list of seven most important USA Hockey rules that youngsters should learn by heart about the sport.

Holding the stick. Any player must start playing the sport by learning how to hold a hockey stick correctly. A player’s use of his stick is limited to playing the puck without gaining an unfair advantage against an opposing player’s body. The stick can’t be used to impede another player’s progress. 

Broken stick. A player with a broken stick must drop it and remain on the ice without a stick until there is a stoppage in play. He may participate in the action once he drops the stick.

Different penalties. A bench or minor penalty lasts two minutes, meanwhile a major penalty is five minutes. A misconduct penalty lasts 10 minutes long, though, unlike the other penalties, a replacement player is immediately allowed on the ice while it is being served. A match penalty means the player is removed from the match and is going to draw a suspension. A delayed penalty, served after the completion of other penalties, is used when additional penalties are assessed to a team.

Illegal checking. Coach safe checking to youngsters. There is no checking from behind an opponent, use of the butt end of the stick or checking with both hands on the stick when no part of the stick on the ice.

Face-off. One player from each team take a face-off. No other player shall be allowed to enter the face-off circle during a face-off.

Getting a kick out of hockey. Kicking the puck shall be permitted in all zones; however, a goal is not allowed if the puck was kicked by an attacking player and enters the goal directly or after deflecting off any player.

Off-sides. Players of an attacking team may not precede the puck into the attacking zone. However, a player actually propelling and in possession and control of the puck who crosses the line ahead of the puck is not considered off-side. An off-sides infraction results in a face-off.