RULES OF PLAY AND CONDUCT
All teams and players shall observe the playing rules, as described in the C.O.H.A. rule book.
In addition to the above, the following rules and/or amendments to the C.O.H.A. rules are to apply.
1. FIGHTING AND ROUGH PLAY
(a) The first offence for fighting will be a major penalty and a game misconduct penalty, plus suspension for the balance of the season.
The Player who is penalized for fighting will be ejected from the game and must retire to the dressing room immediately. The penalized player will not be permitted to return to any visible area in the arena until the conclusion of the game.
A substitute player who was on the ice at the time of the infraction will be placed in the penalty box to serve the major penalty.
(b) A Major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed any player(s) who in the referee’s judgement is guilty of unnecessary rough play.
(c) Any player who swings a hand, fist, or arm in a threatening manner at an opponent will be assessed a GAME MISCONDUCT penalty whether contact is made or not. The player so attempting will be ejected for the balance of that game AND THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR PLAY OFF GAME. The penalty will be assessed to any player whether he is the aggressor or as a retaliatory action.
2. BODY CONTACT
No Player shall at any point during the game, Stand, Squat, Crouch or bend over in any manner which causes a player of the opposing team to deliberately collide with the player so positioned. No Player shall deliberately skate into or block with sufficient body force, to either knock an opposing player down or out of the play.
(a) For the first offence, a major penalty (interference) shall be assessed to the player causing the infraction.
(b) All other incidental body contact shall constitute a minor penalty.
Note: A defending player may “stand his ground” and an attacking player may be called for an interference penalty, if in the opinion of the referee, no attempt was made by the attacking player to move around or avoid contacting the player “standing his ground”.
3. FOUL AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE
A: A minor penalty shall be assessed any player who challenges or disputes the ruling of any official during the game or who displays unsportsmanlike conduct. If a person persists, he shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty. Further disputes by the same individual will result in additional game misconduct penalties.
B: A misconduct penalty shall be assessed any player, players who after one warning by the referee, persists in any course of conduct designed to incite an opponent into incurring a penalty.
C: Any foul or abusive language used either on the ice, players bench, penalty bench, that is directed at an official shall constitute a GAME MISCONDUCT Penalty against the player using the foul or abusive language. Such player will be ruled off the ice and retire to the dressing room for the balance of the game. If the player or team official cannot be identified, a bench minor will be assessed.
Note:
Should a player receive a GAME MISCONDUCT penalty at any time during the final period, that player must sit out the balance of that game plus the next regular scheduled league or playoff game. Should additional game misconduct penalties be assessed concurrently, the player must sit out games equal to the number of game misconduct penalties.
4. ILLEGAL SHOT ** amended
ANY player when shooting, passing, or clearing the puck, who raises the blade of his stick more than twelve inches (approximately to the top of the skate boot) in either the back swing or follow through shall be considered to have used an illegal shot. For this occurrence, Play will be blown down, and the ensuing face off will take place in the end zone of the team of the player who was deemed to have used an illegal shot.
5. MATCH PENALTIES
For (1) Head butting (2) Kicking or attempting to kick (3) Pulling an opponents hair (4) Butt ending (5) Spearing or attempting to spear or (6) Deliberate attempt to or deliberately injuring an opponent with a high stick or a slash, on the FIRST offence be assessed a MATCH PENALTY plus an automatic game misconduct penalty. The player assessed the penalty, shall be removed from the ice and retire to the dressing room immediately. A Player who was on the ice at the time of the infraction will serve the five-minute match penalty time. The player assessed the match penalty will receive a MINIMUM FIVE game suspension. (See suspensions): Should the same player during any part of the same season in which the match penalty occurred, be assessed a second match penalty, that player will be suspended for the balance of the season with the possibility of permanent expulsion from the league.
6. SUSPENSIONS
(a) Any Player, coach, manager, or other team official under suspension by the league shall not take part in any game or practice or assist the team in any way during a game or practice.
(b) Any player suspended for the season shall not receive any refund of the registration fees.
7. PENALTY TIMES:
A. Minor penalties shall be 2 minutes stop time.
B. Major / Match penalties shall be five minutes stop time.
C. Misconduct penalties shall be 10 minutes stop time.
D Game misconduct penalties result in 10 minutes of penalty time being assessed against player’s penalty record times.
In cases where a game misconduct penalty is included as part of another penalty (e.g.) such as throwing a stick over the boards) may be reviewed and waived if so deemed by the Discipline committee:
E. Coincidental Minor Penalties
When an EQUAL number of players from both teams are assessed coincidental minor penalties, those players shall be ruled off the ice to serve the penalty times. However, this does not require either team to play shorthanded as immediate substitution is permitted. (NOTE) The purpose and spirit of this rule is intended to permit as much ice time as possible for all remaining team members not penalized.
8. TEAM CAPTAINS
(A) Each team will have a captain and not more than two alternative captains. The Captain should advise the referees prior to the start of a game that he is the captain. Only a Captain, shall have the privilege of asking the referee for his interpretation of any ruling applied during the progress of the game. The captain may not leave the bench to make an inquiry but may call the referee to the bench to explain.
(b) When the captain or alternative captain receives a penalty, he shall loose his privilege for the duration of the penalty. A misconduct penalty shall be assessed any captain or alternative who leaves his players bench or penalty bench to discuss any interpretation of the rules with the referee.
(c) The captain of each team shall be responsible for their own conduct and that of their players at all times. The captain must endeavour to impose proper player conduct before, during and after the game, and on or off the ice and at any place in the arena.
9. LENGTH OF GAMES AND GENERAL RULES
(a) Game lengths, and period times will be established prior to the start of each season and or special series, these times will be communicated to the captains. A minimum five-minute pre-game warm up period will be permitted prior to the start of each game.
(b) Teams must change ends at the conclusion of each period.
(c) As the centre Red line is not in play in the M.M.R.H.L. Icings only occur if a defender from inside a defending blue line shoots the puck over the opposite goal line.
(d) If a goalkeeper is not on the ice or fully equipped and available at the conclusion of the warm up period, the team will start play without a goal keeper until such time as he is ready or a substitute is found and is available fully equipped to play. Six skaters will be permitted until such time as a goalkeeper is ready to play. No warm up is permitted to a goalkeeper entering a game late.
(e) Substitute goalkeepers must be arranged through the league secretary. Any other substitute goalkeeper used by a team which was not assigned by the league secretary (or member of the executive should the secretary not be available) will cause that team to forfeit the game in which the illegal substitute goalkeeper was employed.
(f) A team must have a minimum of six fully equipped players available to play at the conclusion of the warm-up period; otherwise the game will be forfeited.
(g) A player having accumulated 12 minutes of penalty time will be advised by his captain (or the league secretary or member of the executive.) that he has reached the 12-minute level. Should a player go on to accumulate a total of 18 minutes but less than 25 minutes, that player will be automatically suspended for three consecutive games (regular and/or playoff or tournament). Upon completing the three game suspension, that player may return to the league. However, the total number of minutes previously accumulated prior to the suspension will remain on his penalty record. Once an individual accumulates a total of twenty-six (26) minutes in penalties, he will automatically be suspended for the balance of the season including playoffs.
(g2) Any returning player who had received in excess of ten minutes in penalty minutes during the prior season will be advised both verbally and in writing by a member of the executive including the league representative, discipline committee chairman or team captain, that the penalty warnings and allowable penalty times for the current season have been reduced as follows: The warning has been reduced to 10 minutes, Should a player go on to accumulate a total of 16 minutes in penalties that player will be automatically suspended for three consecutive games (regular season, playoff or tournament included). Upon completing the three game suspension, that player may return to the league. However, the total number of minutes previously accumulated prior to the suspension will remain on his penalty record. Once an individual accumulates a total of twenty-four (24) minutes in penalties, he will automatically be suspended for the balance of the season including playoffs and or tournament.
(g3) Any returning player who had received in excess of fifteen minutes in penalty minutes during the prior season will be advised both verbally and in writing by a member of the executive including the league representative, discipline committee chairman or team captain, that the penalty warnings and allowable penalty times for the current season have been reduced as follows: At the warning has been reduced to 8 minutes, Should a player go on to accumulate a total of 14 minutes in penalties that player will be automatically suspended for three consecutive games (regular season, playoff or tournament included). Upon completing the three game suspension, that player may return to the league. However, the total number of minutes previously accumulated prior to the suspension will remain on his penalty record. Once an individual accumulates a total of twenty-four (22) minutes in penalties, he will automatically be suspended for the balance of the season including playoffs and or tournament.
(g4) Should any player continue to exceed these limits the penalty allowance will continue to decrease each year with the possible expulsion from the league if the attitude prevails.
(g5) Players who had accumulated greater than 10 penalty minutes in the year prior, but has reduced his penalty minutes to 10 minutes or less during the current season, will have his full penalty minute allowance reinstated for the upcoming season.
(h) Timekeepers will ask players who receive a penalty for their name and sweater number for the game sheet record. Should the player refuse to provide the correct information, the timekeeper will stop the clock and call the referee to have him confirm the player’s name and sweater number.
Should a penalized player be wearing a wrong sweater number, the player who provided the incorrect sweater will receive a 3 game suspension and the penalized player will have an additional 6 minutes added to his record. The captain of the team whether in attendance or not will receive a one game suspension.
If a player forgets his sweater he must inform the referee who in turn will notify the time keeper of the updated sweater number for that game:
(Should a captain accumulate 18 penalty minutes he will be advised by a member of the executive)
IT SHOULD BE NOTED
THAT KNOCKING OR ATTEMPTING TO KNOCK THE PUCK OUT OF THE AIR WITH A HIGH STICK – CONSTITUTES A 2 MINUTE MINOR PENALTY: IF CONTACT WITH AN OPPOSING PLAYER WITH THE STICK ABOVE THE SHOULDERS IS MADE: THE PENALTY SHALL BE A FIVE (5) MINUTE MAJOR:
Revised: 07 June 2013