Rules

League Rules

All players will abide by the official current Canadian Adult Recreational Hockey Association (CARHA) Rules and Regulations.
For insurance and safety purposes, CSA-approved helmets and equipment must be worn at all times during all games, even on the players’ bench and in the penalty box. A minimum half shield is required on all helmets.
Each game is scheduled for one hour and will consist of time allowed to warm up, three stop time periods (10, 10, and 12 minutes), and ice resurfacing. Play will stop once the game clock notifies that time has expired.
Points per game are awarded in the following manner: a team will be awarded 2 points for winning a game, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss for all regular season games. Playoff games are decided by win/loss only.
A team must field a minimum of five skaters and a goalie, or 6 skaters, in order to start a game. If a goalie cannot attend a game, and if a replacement is not available, the League has approved that a team may play with a sixth skater on the ice. That player does not have the same privileges as a goalie.
The League is a no-checking League. Body checking will result in a minor or major penalty, depending on the intent.
Full slap shots are permitted.
Centre ice red line is not considered for two line passes and icing, (i.e. there is no centre line). Icing is an unplayable pass from the defensive blue line to a puck touched past the end line.
Substitution of players is only permitted in compliance with the Substitution Rules (Appendix L), except for a goaltender. Every attempt will be made to ensure goaltending substitutes are current members in good standing (this will be achieved by a goaltending coordinator under the direction of the Play Director).
The League will attempt to schedule two qualified referees for each League game. Games will proceed as usual and are considered official games if only one referee is scheduled or if only one scheduled referee shows up. If, however, no referees show up to a game, there are four options:
- Consider the game a tie, awarding each team one point.
- Play without a referee and abide by mutual consent to the enforcement of the rules.
- Appoint a player from each team to act as referees. These players shall have a working knowledge of the rules and regulations of the game. These players shall have the full bind authority of an official referee.
- Appoint a maximum of two league members at large to act as referees. These members shall have a working knowledge of the rules and regulations of the game. These members shall have the full binding authority of an official referee.
The League will attempt to schedule a timekeeper for each League game. If no timekeeper is available, the game shall proceed as directed by the referees. Game statistics, including the final score, shall be recorded by the referees but not necessarily posted to the scoreboard.

BREAKING TIES IN STANDINGS DURING REGULAR SEASON & THE PLAYOFFS

Where two or more teams are tied (in terms of points) at the end of the regular season, playoff round-robin or tournament, ranking will be determined according to the following criteria:
- Total number of wins, followed by;
- Points earned in the head-to-head games, only if all of the tied teams played each other an equal number of times, followed by;
- Least penalty minutes, followed by;
- Most periods won, followed by;
- Least amount of losses, followed by;
- A coin toss between the team coaches or representatives.

BREAKING TIES IN GAMES DURING THE PLAYOFFS

During any of the playoff finals, if after the third period of play the teams are tied, the following will occur:
- Five minutes of run time, where changes of players can only be made on the fly (not during a stoppage of play). One warning, then a delay of game penalty will be awarded.
- Four (4) players a side, sudden death.
- Any penalties carry on into this 4th period.
- After the sudden death, if the teams are still tied, then we move to a shoot-out format. Each team selects five players. In turn, each player begins at center ice, skating in for one shot on goal. The team scoring the most goals in five attempts is the winner. If the shootout is tied after all ten players have made their attempts, the competition continues in "sudden-death" mode: the teams trade shots until there is a winner. No player may shoot again until their full roster has been used or their opponents have exhausted their players.

FORMAT OF ROUND-ROBIN DURING THE PLAYOFFS

League playoffs may include a round-robin competition. Each team does not necessarily play every other team once. The number of rounds is set by the Board each season.
Teams are seeded into round-robin group divisions according to their standings after the end of the regular season.
After all rounds have been completed, an equal number of teams from each group division are guaranteed to move forward into finals brackets (typically beginning with quarterfinals). If there is space in the finals brackets for additional wild card spots, remaining teams are added from highest to lowest standings at the end of the round-robin competition.
Teams are seeded into finals brackets by a combination of their round-robin group division and their standing within that division.

PENALTIES & SUSPENSIONS

Penalty names and infractions will be defined according to the CARHA rulebook.
A minor penalty is 2 minutes. Three minor penalties incurred by the same player in a game will result in an immediate ejection from that game (Game Misconduct). It is the scorekeeper's responsibility to notify the referee of a player's third penalty. Any subsequent ejection from a game as a result of incurring 3 minor penalties will also result in an additional game suspension. For example:
- 1st occurrence (3 x 2 minute) minor penalties = expulsion of the rest of that game.
- 2nd occurrence (3 x 2 minute) minor penalties = expulsion + 1 game suspension.
- 3rd occurrence (3 x 2 minute) minor penalties = expulsion + 2 game suspension.
Teams are required to submit attendance sheets at the start of each game, which accurately lists the names and jersey numbers of players who are present. Failure to submit an attendance sheet may result in the team being awarded a ‘bench minor’ penalty.
Any intentional body contact with a goaltender as defined by the referee will result in a two-minute penalty (intentional being defined as any player who could remove themself from a play resulting in contact but chooses not to do so).
Physical and/or verbal abuse of any official will not be tolerated. Misconduct penalties will be assessed in accordance with the CARHA Rules and Regulations. A written report on the game sheet at the end of the game by the official(s) of these infractions will be submitted to the Board. A player may make an appeal. The Board must be informed of a protest/appeal within 48 hours of a suspension. The Board will review major penalty reports. Some situations could result in additional disciplinary action.
Misconduct penalties (Misconduct, Game Misconduct, Gross Misconduct) will be assessed in accordance with CARHA Rules and Regulations. For the purpose of calculating cumulative penalty time, a Misconduct, Game Misconduct, Gross Misconduct penalty is 10 minutes. The exception to this is a game misconduct as a result of 3 minor penalties in one game or as a result of a major penalty received immediately prior to the Game Misconduct. In either scenario, no cumulative penalty time is added for the Game Misconduct.
“Instigation to fighting”, “intent to injure” or any other “gross misconduct” as determined by the referee, will result in a minimum suspension of the following 2 regular-season or playoff games. The non instigating fighter is not suspended but is removed for the remainder of the game (a player must be able to defend themself if attacked). All fighting penalties will be reviewed by the Board and additional suspensions, depending on the severity of the infraction, will be levied. The matter will go to the Board, which may extend the suspension or even recommend expulsion from the League.
A major penalty (5-minute penalty) will result in immediate ejection from that game (Game Misconduct). A major penalty that occurs within the last five minutes of the game will result in expulsion for the duration of that game plus the next scheduled game. For the purpose of calculating cumulative penalty time, a major penalty is 5 minutes, and a misconduct or gross misconduct is 10 minutes.
A Match Penalty is a "deliberate" attempt to injure. Most penalties come with degrees of penalization:
- A minor (2 minutes).
- A double minor (4 minutes).
- A major (5 minutes) with or without ejection.
- Match penalty. This warrants immediate removal from the game plus additional Board action according to the League’s by-laws in conjunction with standard CARHA rules. The Board will make a decision based on the Play Director’s written report, in consultation with the team reps involved.
The League has a Cumulative Penalty Program. Based on this philosophy, penalty minutes are totaled throughout the regular season and the playoffs. Pre-season games are omitted from the calculation.
- At > or = to 20 minutes of penalties, the player is suspended for one game in addition to any other suspensions that may be awarded for the penalty breaking the 20-minute limit.
- At > or = to 30 minutes of penalties, the player is suspended for one game in addition to any other suspensions that may be given for the penalty breaking the 30-minute limit. The Board will review that individual player’s actions to-date and may impose additional sanctions.
- This penalty minute accumulation schedule will continue to the end of the regular season. If the threshold is reached during the last game, the suspension will carry forward into the playoffs.
- For the playoffs, accumulated minutes will start again from zero. When 18 penalty minutes are reached, a game suspension is imposed and the Board will consider whether any additional sanctions are warranted. If the plateau is reached during the last round robin game, the suspension will carry forward to any final games. However, if the plateau is reached during any game but the player has not received a Game Misconduct (e.g. 3 penalties in the game), the player may finish the game.
The suspended player may make a protest/appeal only to those game suspensions added as further sanction by the Board, not games suspended due to the enforcement of the rules. The Board must be informed of an appeal within 48 hours of the suspension being conveyed to the player in question. A member of the Board should inform the suspended player directly and, if necessary, ask for confirmation of any message left if the player is contacted by phone or email. Procedures for a protest should follow those applicable points of the Protest/Appeal Procedure section.
Straightforward suspensions such as two occurrences of 3 minor penalties in one game do not necessitate any Board decisions; however, the Play Director should be in direct contact with said player. If not possible, the Play Director should confirm the suspension with the Team Representative if the suspended player has not had direct vocal contact from the Play Director. Additional discussion concerning players who receive a Fighting Major, Match Penalty, or Gross Misconduct penalty should occur between the Commissioner, the Play Director, player(s) involved, and Team Representative(s) of said player(s). This discussion and decision (which may occur electronically) should occur no later than 48 hours after the infraction with a decision on additional sanctions rendered no later than 72 hours after the incident.
For the safety of all players, the Board may review a player’s actions at any time and levy sanctions against the player that are deemed warranted by the Board. Board reviews are to be held in-camera.

PROTEST/APPEAL PROCEDURE

All protests must be submitted in writing by the Team Coach or Team Representative to a Board member within 24 hours of a suspension, incident or event being protested or appealed.
Procedures for the review of on-ice protests are as follows:
- The referee assesses the penalty.
- The referee, in consultation with the timekeeper, writes up the incident on the game sheet. iii. The timekeeper submits the write-up to a member of the Board and informs both the Team Representatives immediately after the game.
Protests of off-ice incidents, events or decisions are to be submitted directly to the Board in writing.
The Board will meet to vote (electronically or in person) and all discussion will be held in-camera. A tie will uphold the decision.
Within the framework of a protest or disciplinary meeting, the Board will review and discuss the write-up of the suspension(s), discusses the suspension(s), review the protest letter, discuss the protest letter, votes on the protest, and inform the team rep and referee involved.
The Team Representative will be informed of the result of the appeal, and it is their responsibility to inform the player. The individual votes of the members of the Board are strictly confidential.
A player suspended must sit out the next game or consecutive games, not games of their choice.

REFUND/CREDIT POLICY

The League has instituted a no refund/credit policy, except under compelling circumstances. These will be assessed on a case by case basis. The Board must be presented with a written request before the playoffs of the year of play in question, for a refund to be considered.
Hockey is inherently a dangerous game; unfortunately, some people do get hurt. Ice-time bookings are made based on the number of players committing to play and the arena does not reduce the costs of the ice based on players not completing the season.