Who is on the ice?
Most shifts have five skaters and one goalie. The skaters are three forwards and two defensemen. Players move all over the ice; these names describe their roles.
ForwardsLW · C · RW
DefenseLD · RD
GoalieG
Reston Raiders 10U White · 2026–27
Know the callbefore the whistle.
A rink-side guide for Reston Raiders 10W families in CBHL’s (05) 10U Wales Blue division — Tier II youth hockey, B level.
Verified September 20, 2026 · USA Hockey Youth 2025–29 · CBHL 2026–27
RINK-SIDE CARD01 / 04
THE FIRST QUESTION
Which rules apply?
A
PVAHA sets the local layer.Roster, officials, scoresheet, reporting & discipline.
B
USA Hockey sets the play.Offside, icing, penalties, equipment & game flow.
C
CBHL sets local game details.Period and penalty times, running clock, and playoff format.
00 / HOCKEY BASICS
Read the rink in one glance.
Before offside and icing, know who is on the ice and what the lines are telling you.
THE ICESIMPLE RINK MAP
Blue line → offside Center red line + goal line → icing Goal line → the line behind each net
Where are you?
Your team attacks one end and defends the other. The neutral zone sits between the blue lines.
DefensiveNeutralAttacking
START HERE
The short version
This guide is for Reston Raiders 10U White (RESTON RAIDERS 10W), CBHL 2026–27, (05) 10U Wales Blue. CBHL registers these teams as Tier II; Wales is its B level. The USA Hockey youth rules apply, together with PVAHA requirements and CBHL’s published local rules.
01 / BEFORE THE PUCK DROPS
A three-minute pre-game scan.
Most game-day surprises are preventable. Use this checklist before leaving the house and again when you arrive.
Be on the roster
A player must be registered for the season and properly rostered on the team. PVAHA’s certified 1-T roster should be available at games; players who are not properly rostered are ineligible.
Roster & registrationPack the safety gear
Youth rules require a HECC-certified helmet and full facemask, fastened chin strap, and a certified neck laceration protector. BNQ-certified neck protection is accepted through 2026–27. A mouthguard is recommended at 10U; USA Hockey’s mandate starts at 12U. Wear all other required protective equipment. (Rule 304.)
Equipment remindersRespect the warm-up
CBHL provides a three-minute warm-up. Stay on your team’s half. Do not cross center ice or shoot toward the opponent. Leave the ice promptly when warm-up or a period ends.
Game flow basicsParent shortcut
Confirm the exact game time, roster status, uniform color, and tournament or league add-ons with the team manager. The rulebook is the baseline; the game sheet can be more specific.
02 / IN THE GAME
The two calls you’ll hear most.
Watch the blue line and the red line. Once those two ideas click, a lot of hockey starts to make sense.
RULE 630 BLUE LINE
Offside = player beats the puck.
An attacking player cannot enter the attacking zone before the puck.
01
When the puck completely crosses the blue line, at least one attacking skate must still be on the line or on the neutral-zone side. The stick does not decide offside.
Player cue: Wait at the blue line for the puck.
At 10U: offside stops play immediately. There is no delayed/tag-up offside at this age. (Rule 630.)
At 10U: offside stops play immediately. There is no delayed/tag-up offside at this age. (Rule 630.)
RULE 624 RED LINE
Icing = clear it too far.
A team shoots, bats, or deflects the puck from its own half past the opponent’s goal line.
02
Play stops and the face-off goes to the offending team’s end zone. At 10U, icing still applies when your team is shorthanded. Teams may change players after icing; the NHL’s no-change restriction does not apply here. (Rules 624 and 204.)
Player cue: Make a controlled pass or skate the puck forward. A long clear can still be icing during a penalty kill.
WATCH IT IN MOTION
See the basic offside and icing plays.
A visual refresher for the blue line, red line, and goal line.
WHISTLE DECODER
What the penalty box is telling you.
CBHL Rule 8.2 sets these times for our division’s 15-minute periods. USA Hockey Rules 402–405 explain the penalty types.
1:30MINOR
Minor / bench minorThe player serves 1 minute 30 seconds.
4:00MAJOR
MajorThe team serves 4 minutes. Many major-penalty infractions also require a game misconduct; the specific rule determines this.
8:00MISCONDUCT
MisconductThe player serves 8 minutes. A substitute can enter immediately.
OUTTEAM: 4:00
Match penaltyRemoved for the game; the team serves 4 minutes. Additional suspension and hearing rules apply.
Our division: three 15-minute periods.
CBHL 2026–27 Rules 8.1 and 8.6 · 10U Wales Blue
15 minutes of stop time per period
CBHL’s published standard for this division is three 15-minute periods. The clock normally stops at whistles. Warm-up is three minutes, with one-minute breaks between periods.
When the rink time runs short
Rule 8.6 calls for two full periods, then a third period set to half the remaining ice-slot time, capped at the normal period length. The scorekeeper must document why a game was shortened.
The rink’s scheduled end time is separate from the game clock; there is no universal 10:00 cutoff.
Two score-and-clock rules to know.
These are CBHL local game-management rules for games between CBHL teams. They sit alongside USA Hockey and PVAHA rules.
CBHL RULE 8.8 ANY TIME
MARGIN HITS10GOAL LEAD
GAME ENDS
10-goal mercy rule
If one team reaches a 10-goal lead at any point, the game terminates immediately. The score and statistics are final, even if the scoreboard still shows time such as 2:34.
Think margin, not total: 10–0, 11–1, or 12–2 ends the game; 10–1 is only a nine-goal lead.
CBHL RULE 8.7 THIRD PERIOD
LEAD REACHES5GOALS
CLOCK RUNNING
Five-goal running clock
In the third period, a five-goal lead starts a continuously running clock. Penalties also run on running time. Stop-time resumes when the goal difference falls to four or less.
Important: this is a five-goal margin, not simply the fifth goal of the game. The clock only stops for a player injury under the rule.
10–0
Any period → game ends
6–1
Third period → running clock
5–0
Second period → stop time
Can a game end tied?
Regular-season CBHL games are scheduled with no overtime or shootout, so a tie can stand. That is not an exhibition-only rule. The running-clock and ten-goal rules also explicitly apply to exhibition games. For an exhibition, confirm tie handling on the game sheet; playoffs can require overtime and a shootout to determine a winner.
VII / OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS
See the signal. Know your next move.
A signal is the official’s quick visual message. The whistle tells you when play has actually stopped.
ARM UP
Delayed penalty
One arm held straight up means a penalty is coming, but play has not stopped yet.
What happens next: Keep playing until the whistle. The official then announces the penalty.
ARM UP + WHISTLE
Icing
The linesperson signals that the puck traveled too far from behind the center red line.
What happens next: Stop. Face-off goes to the icing team’s end. Player changes are allowed at 10U.
BLUE LINE
Offside
The linesperson is pointing out an offside play or indicating which way the zone call goes.
What happens next: At 10U, stop at the whistle and prepare for the next face-off. There is no tag-up offside.
NO CALL
Washout / no goal
Both arms swept sideways means no icing, no offside, or no goal on that play.
What happens next: Do not stop just because you saw the arms—keep playing unless there is a whistle.
NET
Goal
The official points toward the net to confirm that the goal counts.
What happens next: Celebrate quickly, then return to the bench or center-ice face-off.
TIME-OUT
Time-out
Hands making a “T” means a time-out has been requested or granted.
What happens next: Play is stopped; go to the bench and listen for the next face-off instruction.
WHILE PLAY IS MOVING
Four habits that keep the game simple.
01
Stop on the whistle.
Let the officials place the next face-off; don’t restart the play yourself.
02
Keep your stick for the puck.
Slashing, hooking, and cross-checking can turn a normal battle into a penalty.
03
Contact has a purpose.
Body checking is prohibited at 10U. Legal competitive contact while playing the puck is allowed; deliberate body checks are penalized. (Rule 604.)
04
Officials own the call.
Ask a coach for a calm explanation later; never argue or retaliate on the ice.
03 / OFF THE ICE
The rules follow the team out of the rink.
PVAHA’s local rules are as much about eligibility, safety, and respect as they are about the game itself.
SAFE & RESPECTFUL
SafeSport is part of participation.
PVAHA adopts USA Hockey and U.S. Center for SafeSport policies covering sexual, physical, and emotional misconduct; bullying, threats, harassment, and hazing. Adults with regular access to youth must meet training and screening requirements.
If something feels wrong, tell a trusted adult or team leader.DISCIPLINE
A suspension means step away.
A suspended player, coach, or team official cannot participate in any part of the next scheduled game—including before, during, or after the game, and the locker room—until the suspension is completely served.
A forfeited game does not satisfy a game suspension.TEAM BUSINESS
Ask before you sign or switch.
PVAHA controls when certain teams may hold tryouts, recruit, or offer next-season agreements. Rules differ by tier and age, so ask your association before committing or changing teams.
A parent signature does not override an Affiliate restriction.PARENT / PLAYER CHECK
Questions worth asking the team manager.
- Is the player on the certified roster?
- Which rulebook and local league addendum applies?
- Where do we report a safety or conduct concern?
- Does this trip or tournament need special paperwork?
“
Player safety, fair play, and respect are not optional extras. They are the point of the program.
PVAHA policy themes, simplified04 / NHL ≠ 10U
Same sport. Different rulebook.
NHL clips can teach the idea of a play, but they are not the authority for a PVAHA game.
| Topic | PVAHA + USA HOCKEY10U White game | NHLPro game |
|---|---|---|
| Offside | Immediate offside. No delayed/tag-up offside at 10U. | Delayed offside allows attackers to clear the zone and tag up. |
| Icing | Icing applies even when shorthanded. Player changes are allowed. | Shorthanded teams may ice the puck. The team called for icing generally cannot change players. |
| Game clock | Three 15-minute stop-time periods under CBHL Rule 8.1; Rule 8.6 addresses a shortened third period. | Three 20-minute regulation periods. |
| Body checking | Not allowed at 10U. Legal competitive contact is allowed. | Body checking is permitted within the NHL’s checking rules. |
| Safety gear | Youth helmet, full facemask, and certified neck protection required. Mouthguard recommended at 10U. | NHL helmet and visor rules differ from youth full-face protection requirements. |
KEEP THESE LINKS
The short guide is not the final word.
Use the official sources below for an edge case, a roster question, or a league-specific decision.
Reston Raiders 10U WhiteOfficial club team page · 2026–27 schedulePVAHA websitePrimary source for current Affiliate notices and documentsPVAHA Rules & RegulationsAmended and adopted August 26, 2026CBHL 2026–27 RulesTeam tiers, period lengths, penalties, clock rules and playoffsCBHL Game Management Fact SheetRunning clock and ten-goal rule · 10U and olderUSA Hockey Playing Rules2025–29 rulebook page and definitionsUSA Hockey Youth Rulebook PDF2025–29 Youth, Girls, High School & Adult editionNHL Official Rules2025–26 comparison reference