PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT MENS BALL HOCKEY LEAGUE - 2024
Rules
BALL HOCKEY GAME WILL PLAY BY NON CONTACT HOCKEY RULES WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS
1) NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS OR SMOKING IN ARENA: As per municipal and Arena Rules, there is to be no smoking, consuming of Alcohol or illegal drugs in the Arena. Any player judged by the referees to be under the influence of ALCOHOL OR DRUGS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY TO SAFEGUARD ALL PLAYERS.
2) A team must have a minimum of 6 players including a goalie for a game to be played. A team not having enough players has 10 minutes to get the required number and failing to do so will result in their team losing by default to the opposing team. The game will be shown as a 2 - 0 win for the opposing team. ( a goal for each period )
3) QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS: All Players must play in FIVE REGULAR SEASON GAMES TO QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS ONLY EXCEPTIONS ARE INJURIES REPORTED TO LEAGUE CONVENOR . ALL TEAMS QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS WITH TEAMS PLAYING A ROUND ROBIN FORMAT.
4) MANDATORY EQUIPMENT: All players must wear some form of hand protection. Players must wear matching coloured team jerseys with different numbered sweaters. Though not mandatory it is recommended that players have mouth ( teeth) protectors and shin pads. GOALIES MUST WEAR FULL EQUIPMENT & FACE MASKS.
5) GOALTENDERS POSSESSION: When the goalie stops the ball within their crease the referee will blow whistle to stop play and the goal keeper ( or any team player can at the whistle signal of the referee shoot or pass the ball from the crease. The goalie or team player has 5 seconds to put the ball into play and failure to comply will result in whistle being blown by referee and a faceoff will occur at a defensive zone faceoff spot. Ball cannot be carried out of crease must be shot or passed from crease failure to comply will result in a faceoff as describe earlier. If goalie stops ball outside of crease causing a stoppage of play, a faceoff will occur at one of the defensive faceoff spots.
6) CREASE VIOLATION; No player can enter their oppositions goaltenders crease either with their stick or body, if they do then referee whistles play dead and awards the defending team a goaltenders possession ( see rule #2) for GOALTENDER POSSESSION. If a player persists in committing crease violations ( 3 or more ) they will be warned and next violation they will be penalized for DELAY OF GAME PENALTY.
6)b A player can shoot the ball to his goalie in the crease who in turn can play ball and keep it in play by passing it to another player. If a player passes the ball or carries the ball into his crease for the purpose of getting a whistle, then when referee blows whistle to stop play then a faceoff in defensive zone faceoff will occur.
6)c - ILLEGAL USE OF CREASE RULE: A player cannot run through his crease with the ball and use the crease to their advantage. You can run through your crease and keep the ball outside of crease so ball is still accessible and playable by the opposition. If crease used as an ILLEGAL PICK, then referee will sound whistle and stop play with a faceoff in the defensive zone faceoff circle resulting.
7) OFFSIDE RULE: Offside is like ice hockey in that when a team crosses opponents blue line all players must be onside and then the red center line or half the playing surface becomes the attacking zone. When ball crosses red line then attacking team must clear the attacking zone to the blue line and then enter it on side once more. Purpose of the offside rule to to stop creep hanging by lazy players.
8) ICING ; icing the ball occurs when a team shoots or passes the ball from inside their own blue line and the ball travels untouched or unchallenged directly over the opponents goal line. A faceoff in the defending zone faceoff spot of offending team.
9) STOP TIME RULE: The LAST TWO MINUTES OF GAME is stop time if the score of game has the teams within 2 GOALS OF EACH OTHER. OTHERWISE NO STOP TIME.
10) TIMEOUTS: Each team is allowed one 30 second time out per period.
PENALTIES
11) COINCIDENTAL PENALTIES ; When both teams are given a penalty of equal duration at the same time then each team will play at full strength and offending players will leave penalty box at the first whistle after the expiration of penalty.
12) THREE MINOR PENALTY RULE: Any player (s) receiving 3 minor penalties in a game will be removed from game. Players will be suspended ONE GAME IF THEY RECEIVE A THIRD, VIOLATION OF THIS RULE.
13) FIGHTING PENALTIES: Any player (s) receiving, a major penalty for fighting, will receive a 3 GAME SUSPENSION AND A $50 FINE which must be paid to timekeeper upon returning to league. A player clearly identified as the instigator/aggressor will be given a 5 GAME SUSPENSION AND A $50 FINE. Any player receiving a 2ND FIGHTING MAJOR WILL BE DISMISSED FROM LEAGUE.
14) ATTEMPT TO INJURE PENALTY: Any player(s) receiving a major penalty for deliberate attempt to injure will result in a 3 GAME SUSPENSION AND $50 FINE, and depending on the severity of the offence could also result in EXPULSION FROM LEAGUE. Examples could be butt ending, high sticking a player, etc.
15) HIGH STICKING BALL PENALTY : Any players using their stick to make contact with ball above the height of the crossbar height of the net ( height of boards) will receive a minor penalty for HIGH STICKING.
16) INTENTIONAL CONTACT PENALTY: This is a non contact league. If two players accidently run into one another, that is called incidental contact, however if a player in the opinion of the referee, intentionally uses the body on an opposing player then either a minor or a major penalty depending on the seriousness of the contact will be called by the referee.
17) UNSPORTSMANSHIP CONDUCT PENALTY: Any player (s) using abusive language, threatening gestures or harrassing another player will be given a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. This type of penalty will also be called if any player(s) show the same conduct to the referees. After a game has ended if a player(s) become involved in any conduct causing referees to give out MISCONDUCT PENALTIES will be given at LEAST A ONE GAME SUSPENSION.
18) HAND PASSING BALL: If a players slaps, hits or directs the ball with their hand and it goes to one of their own players in the neutral or attacking zones who then plays the ball, the referee will stop play and a faceoff will occur nearest the point of where the hand pass originated. You can glove the ball forward and play the ball yourself and play will continue.
19) BALL SHOT OUT OF PLAY: If a player shoots the ball out of the playing surface then a faceoff will occur back to the faceoff spot closest to where the ball was shot from. If a player is judged by the referee to have intentionally shot ball from surface to stall or delay game, then a minor penalty for delay of the game will occur.
20) DELAY OF THE GAME PENALTY: This penalty will be called if in the opinion of the referee a player intentionally delays play of the game. The referee will normally tell the player to continue to play the BALL before calling the penalty , but failure to comply to request will result in the penalty being called. This usually occurs if a team is winning a close game and is trying to stall play and run out the game clock so that the opposition cannot score.