Overview

The Minor Ice Hockey Victoria (MIHV) competition is played under the rules & regulations provided within the IIHF / IHA frameworks.

The 2021-2022 IIHF rule book is available HERE.

The most common questions we receive from new players and parents is related to checking and the difference in rules between the four divisions.

Presently, the MIHV competition is configured as follows:

  • 11&U, Non-Checking

  • 13U, Non-Checking

  • 15U, Modified-Checking

  • 17U, Full-Checking

Checking Definitions

A body check represents intentional physical contact, from the front, diagonally from the front or straight from the side, by a skater to an opponent who is in control/possession of the puck. The opposing player’s objective is to gain possession of the puck with a legal body check and NOT to punish or intimidate an opponent. Legitimate body checking must be done only with the trunk of the body (hips and shoulders) and must be above the opponent’s knees and at or below the opponent’s shoulders. The use of the hands, forearm, stick or elbow in delivering a body check is unacceptable and not within the guidelines of a legal body check. The primary focus of a body check is to gain possession of the puck and proper body checking technique starts with stick on puck, therefore the stick blade of the player delivering the check must be below the knees.

When two or more players are physically engaged for control of the puck along the boards, they are considered to be vulnerable and defenceless. Any body check delivered by a skater to an opponent who is physically engaged with another skater is considered dangerous, careless or reckless (unacceptable) and must be penalised accordingly. Players MUST be penalised for the following acts:

  • Running or jumping into the opponent to deliver a check

  • Accelerating through a check to punish the opponent

  • Skating a great distance to deliver a check with excessive force

  • The use of the forearm or hands to deliver a check

  • Anticipating an opponent gaining possession or control of the puck but who makes contact with the opponent before possession or control occurs

  • Delivering an avoidable check to a player who has already relinquished control of the puck by a pass or shot. This is oftentimes referred to as “finishing” the check.

The concept of “finishing the check” is an unacceptable action as it is one that is meant to intimidate or punish the opponent with no intent to gain possession of the puck. The responsibility is on the player delivering the check to avoid forceful contact (minimise impact) to a vulnerable or defenceless player who is no longer in control of the puck. A player who deflects the puck with any part of their body, whether received from a teammate or not, where the puck is not intentionally directed to a teammate off the players stick, is NOT eligible to be body checked. Any action where a player is bodychecked who is not in CONTROL/POSSESSION OF THE PUCK must be penalised under IIHF RULE 56 INTERFERENCE.

Terminology & Terms

Altercation: Any physical interaction between two or more opposing Players resulting in a penalty or penalties being assessed. An altercation will generally occur at a stoppage of play (not within the normal process of playing the puck) and includes the gathering of two or more opposing Players, and requires action to be taken by the On-ice Officials to separate Players.

Blind-sided Hit: A Player in possession and/or control of the puck has an obligation to acknowledge they are eligible to be hit at any moment during this possession and/or control. They must, therefore, be aware of their immediate environment on the ice and always be prepared for such contact. However, this acceptance of contact is limited and can only be justified by a check that is legally delivered by an opponent. A Player’s peripheral vision being limited, it cannot be reasonably expected that they have total circumspection of what occurs on the ice. A Player preparing to deliver a check to an opponent in possession and/or control of the puck must do everything in their power to execute a fair and well-timed hit. They must also ensure that they deliver it in such a way that their opponent can reasonably perceive the impending contact from their established peripheral vision and can accordingly brace themselves for such impact. A Player delivering a check to an opponent outside the latter’s established peripheral vision, also known as a “blind-sided hit”, is not considered to be a well-executed check and may be penalised accordingly by the Referee.

Body Checking: A legal body check is one in which a Player checks an opponent who is in possession of the puck by using their hip or body from the front, diagonally from the front or straight from the side. Legitimate body checking must be done for the purpose of separating the opponent from the puck, only with the trunk of the body (hips and shoulders) and must be above the opponent’s knees and at or below the shoulders.

Body Contact: Contact that occurs between opponents during the normal process of playing the puck, provided there has been no overt hip, shoulder or arm contact to physically force the opponent off of the puck.

Competitive Contact: Body contact between two or more Players who are in the immediate vicinity of the puck and who are trying to gain possession of the puck. These Skaters are reasonably allowed to push and lean into each other provided that possession of the puck remains the sole object of the contact.

Reckless Endangerment: Any action that endangers an opponent. A foul consisting of acts that create a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person. The accused person is not required to intend the resulting or potential harm, but must have acted in a way that showed a disregard for the foreseeable consequences of the actions.

Vulnerable Position: A Skater is considered to be in a vulnerable position when they are no longer in control or possession of the puck and they are either not aware of an impending hit or they are not prepared for the hit. A bodycheck to an opponent who is vulnerable is automatically considered reckless even if that bodycheck would be considered legal to a non-vulnerable opponent.