Captains/Alternate Captains
– Each team must assign one captain and one alternate captain. These two players will be the only players who can argue/discuss calls with the refs during the game.
-Captains must report scratched players to the scorekeeper before each game.
Rosters
-Teams must have at least five skaters and one goalie, otherwise that team forfeits.
-Goalie subs are allowed. However, during playoffs the sub must come from your own team.
Safety
– All players must be at least 18 years old to play
– Players must wear eye protection. We recommend a full cage mask, but helmets with a visor or goggles are allowed. We also recommend wearing gloves, shin guards, and a cup.
Gameplay
-Teams have five minutes to warm up.
-Periods are 15 minutes each, with 3 minute breaks in between.
-Clock runs continuously unless in the final two minutes of the game, and the score is within 2 goals or if a penalty occurs. Clock restarts on the faceoff following a penalty.
Icing
– Icing occurs if the ball is sent from behind their own blue line, which is marked with blue tape, behind the opposing goal line. However, icing is nullified if the ball is touched by the opposing team prior to reaching the goal line. Icing is also nullified if, in the opinion of the official, an opposing player – except the goalie – has the opportunity to play the ball, but did not do so.
– Icing is not called while the offending team is short-handed
– If icing is called in error, the referee has the discretion to drop the ball at center faceoff dot.
Face-Offs
-If ball is out of play, face-off occurs to at the nearest dot where the ball was last played
-Face-off occurs at center faceoff dot at the beginning of a game, after every goal, and if there is a premature goalie substitution.
-Face-off occurs in the defending team’s zone if icing is called. Defending team cannot change.
-Face-off occurs in the offensive zone after a penalty is called
-At face-off, ball should be dropped with slight force from knee’s height.
-Players sticks must be outside of the hashmarks during face-off
-Players cannot touch the ball before it hits the ground. Ball will be re-dropped if this happens.
Playing Ball with Hand
– Play shall be stopped and a last play face-off shall occur anytime a player (except the goalkeeper) closes his hand on the ball and does not immediately drop the ball to the floor.
– A player or goalkeeper shall not be allowed to “bat” the ball in the air, or push it along the floor with his hand, directly to a teammate unless the “hand pass” has been initiated and completed in his defending zone (behind the blue line), in which case play shall be allowed to continue. If the “hand pass” occurs in the neutral or attacking zone, a stoppage of play will occur and a face-off will take place according to last play face-off rules provided no territorial advantage has been gained.
Player in the Crease
– Attacking players are not allowed in the goal crease. Referee should give the player a warning, and if he does not leave within a reasonable time play will be stopped and there will be a face-off in the neutral zone.
– If a goal is scored and an attacking player is in the crease, the goal is called off and a face-off is conducted in the neutral zone.
Offsides
– Occurs when a player enters an opponent team’s zone (the area from behind their net to their blue line) before the ball. The ball in play must cross the opponent’s blue line first before the player or any of his teammates, otherwise play is stopped and a faceoff occurs at the dot immediately outside of the opponent’s zone
– Foot does not have to be on the ground to prevent the player from being offsides as long as it is still behind the blue line.
– Expansion of the offensive zone occurs once a team crosses the opponent’s blue line with the ball. The attacking team will then have half of the entire playing surface within which to control the ball. If the defending team sends the ball past center, the zone is reset to the blue line and their opponent must regain it as explained above. This is referred to as a “Floating blue line”.
Penalties
All penalties are 2 minutes, and can be upped to a 5-minute major if there is intent to injure present
Butt Ending
Butt-Ending is the action whereby a player uses the shaft of the stick, above the upper hand, to check an opposing player in any manner or jabs or attempts to jab an opposing player with this part of the stick.
Checking
An illegal body check is defined as when a player makes a deliberate physical contact with the opponent using overt hip, shoulder, arm or torso action. This includes physically impeding the opponent’s progress for the purpose of physically forcing the opponent off the ball and with no effort to legally play the ball.
Cross Checking
Cross-checking is the action of using the shaft of the stick between the two hands to forcefully check an opponent with no portion of the stick on the floor.
Delay of Game
A minor penalty for delay of game shall be assessed to a player other than the goalkeeper who deliberately falls on or gathers the ball into his body, deeming the ball unplayable and causing a stoppage of play. If this occurs within the goal crease, a penalty shot is assessed.
Elbowing
Elbowing is the use of an extended elbow as the point of contact with an opponent while delivering a check, or as a means to create separation with an opponent, and may include an attempted elbow.
High Stick
High Sticking is the action where a player carries the stick above the normal height of the opponent’s shoulders. A player must be accountable for being in control of their stick at all times. High sticking is called if a player plays the ball above his own shoulders. If this action occurs and the ball is played by the opposing team first, play continues. If the offending team plays the ball first, play is stopped and a faceoff will be given in the zone where the infraction occurred. If contact is made to another player, there will be a minor or major penalty.
Holding
Holding is the action of a player wrapping his arms around an opponent or using a free hand to clutch, grab or hold the stick, jersey or body on the opponent. This includes wrapping one or both arms around the opponent along the boards in a manner that pins them against the boards and prevents them from playing the ball or moving, grabbing the opponent’s body, stick or jersey with one or both hands, or using a free arm/hand to restrain or impede the opponent’s progress.
Hooking
Hooking is the action of impeding the progress of an opponent with a pulling or tugging motion by applying the blade of the stick to any part of an opponent’s body or stick. A player cannot use his/her stick against an opponent’s body (ball carrier or non-ball carrier) to gain a positional advantage. Actions considered hooking include tugs or pulls on the body, arms or hands of the opponent that reduces space between the opponents; placing the stick in front of the opponent’s body and locking on that impedes the opponent’s progress or causes a loss of balance; a stick placed on the hand/arm that takes away the ability for the opponent to pass or shoot the ball with a normal amount of force.
Interference
Interference is defined as when a player uses his body (“pick” or “block”) to impede the progress of an opponent (non-ball carrier) with no effort to play the ball, maintain normal foot speed or maintain an established skating lane. Sliding towards a player, regardless of whether or not contact is made, will be called Interference.
Slashing
Slashing is the act of a player swinging his or her stick at an opponent, whether contact is made, or not. Any forceful chop with the stick on an opponent’s body or opponent’s stick, shall be considered slashing.
Sliding (Interference)
A sliding (interference) penalty will be called if a player slides on the playing surface towards an opposing team’s player and directly interferes with their path and/or makes contact with the player.
Sliding (Tripping)
A sliding (tripping) penalty will be called if a player slides on the playing surface and trips up another player with any part of their body.
Throwing Stick
A minor penalty shall be assessed to any player on the floor who shoots or throws any portion of his stick or any other object in the direction of the ball.
Tripping
Tripping is the act of placing a stick, knee, foot, arm, hand or elbow in such a manner that causes his opponent to lose balance or fall.
Clipping is the act of deliberately leaving the feet or lowering the body for the purpose of making contact with the opponent at or below the knees.
Leg check is the act of extending the leg from the front or from behind for the purpose of tripping the opponent.
Slew Footing is the act of a player using his leg or foot to knock or kick an opponent’s feet from under him. This is done by pushing an opponent’s upper body backwards with an arm or elbow at the same time using a forward motion of his leg causing the opponent to fall to the floor.
However, no penalty shall be assessed under this rule if, in the opinion of the Referee, the player was clearly hook-checking or poke-checking the ball for the purpose of gaining possession.
Roughing
Roughing shall be considered any act where a player uses unnecessary force to push or shove an opponent or makes avoidable physical contact with an opponent after the whistle.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
A minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed to any player who commits the following actions:
- Challenges or disputes the rulings of any official.
- Taunts or incites an opponent.
- Creates a disturbance during the game.
- Shoots the ball after the whistle, if in the opinion of the Official such shot was avoidable.
- Aggressively slams/swings stick into the boards or ground
- Deliberately shoots ball away from the official/center faceoff dot after a goal.