NCAA rule changes
| Rule | What changed | Applies from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCAA 3.1 | Benches: accommodations must be similar for both teams. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10) |
| NCAA 9.4 | Intentionally removing your own or an opponent's helmet during play is a roughing minor; a goalkeeper who deliberately removes the helmet or mask during a breakaway, penalty shot or shootout attempt gives up an awarded goal. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 9.4, p. 25-26 |
| NCAA 9.7 | Cut-resistant neck, wrist and Achilles/lower-leg protection: recommended for all divisions in 2026-27, required for Division I players and officials in 2027-28. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 9.7, p. 26 |
| NCAA 19.3 | Last five minutes of regulation and overtime: a minor (or double minor) against a major at the same stoppage puts a 3:00 (or 1:00) differential on the clock immediately, served like a major. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 19.3, p. 37-38 |
| NCAA 20.4 | A second major in the same game brings an automatic game misconduct. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 20.4, p. 38 |
| NCAA 28.2 | A goalkeeper's major or misconduct is served by a teammate who was on the ice at the whistle. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 28.2, p. 45 |
| NCAA 28.4 | Men's game: goalkeeper restricted area (trapezoid) behind the goal line; Division I in 2026-27, Divisions II and III in 2027-28. Women's games keep the privileged area. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 28.4, p. 45-46 |
| NCAA 28.6 | A goalkeeper replaced for an extra attacker who intentionally leaves a stick, equipment or obstacles at the net gives up an awarded goal (a minor if not replaced). | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 28.6, p. 46 |
| NCAA 47.1 | Women's game: face-mask fouls include any helmet opening. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 47.1, p. 61 |
| NCAA 48.1 | A fight is repeated punching, or wrestling the linespersons have difficulty separating; a single punch is handled under roughing. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 48.1, p. 61 |
| NCAA 49 | Head-butting: a minor for an attempt or non-forceful contact; major and game misconduct for forcible contact; major and disqualification for egregious contact. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 49, p. 62 |
| NCAA 50 | 'In open ice' is removed from checking from behind. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10) |
| NCAA 53.1 | Roughing covers punching or slamming motions and intentional helmet removal, with minor and major-plus-game-misconduct tiers. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 53.1, p. 64 |
| NCAA 55.3 | A stick or other object thrown or shot at the puck or the puck carrier inside the defending zone brings a penalty shot if no goal results. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 55.3, p. 66 |
| NCAA 55.5 | Throwing a stick or part of a stick out of the playing area is a game misconduct. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 55.5, p. 66 |
| NCAA 67.6 | When the attacking team shoots the puck in from its own side of center and the goalkeeper freezes it, the defending team may not change and the attacking team picks the end-zone dot. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 67.6, p. 76-77 |
| NCAA 79.5 | Spitting on an official, a player or any non-playing person is a major and game disqualification. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 79.5, p. 87 |
| NCAA 81.1 | Men's game: both centers must put the whole blade down inside the white area; the defending center sets first at non-center spots, the visitor at center ice. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 81.1, p. 90 |
| NCAA 84.2 | A hand pass between teammates inside their own defending zone no longer stops play. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 84.2, p. 101 |
| NCAA 84.4 | After a defending-zone high stick by the defending team, Division I men's teams may change players. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 84.4, p. 101 |
| NCAA 86.1 | A player may precede the puck into the zone only with possession and control of the puck with the stick before both skates cross. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 86.1, p. 103-104 |
| NCAA 92 | Division I men: no time-out after a face-off violation or for a defending team barred from changing; men get no additional regular-season overtime time-out. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 92, p. 111-112 |
| NCAA 91.2 (listed as 92.1 in the change summary) | Women's game: the mandatory shootout after overtime is removed; a shootout is used only by conference policy. (The book's change summary lists this as 92.1; the rule text is 91.2.) | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 91.2, p. 110 (PDF p. 113) |
| NCAA 93.4 | A team may challenge a no-goal call for goalkeeper interference; replay review guidance for majors that would eject a student-athlete. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 93.4, p. 114-115 |
| NCAA 94 | Women's game: body checking and body contact further clarified, with a 2026-27 point of emphasis on legal body contact. | 2026-27 | NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Major Rules Changes for 2026-27 and 2027-28, p. 7 (PDF p. 10); Rule 94, p. 118 |
NCAA Rule of the Week cards explain many of these changes in more depth.