Inline Hockey Rules & Regulations

Sportsplex Apple Capital Hockey League / Recreational Hockey League Playing Rules

Revised 08/10/2010

Effective: Fall I ’10 League Session

General Outline

1.      Game Format
2.      Equipment
3.      Scorekeepers
4.      Financials
5.      Rosters / Substitutes
6.      Player Conduct
7.      Penalties / Corrections
8.      Referees
9.      Championship Games

1. Game Format

Games will be played as 3, 20-minute running clock periods. A stop-clock shall be used in the final two minutes of the second half when there is a two-goal differential or less. A 2-minute warm-up clock period is used before the beginning of each game.
Each team has 1-minute timeout per game.
Games are played 4 on 4 plus goaltenders.
Teams must have 4 skaters and a goaltender to start the game, or they may play with 5 skaters and no goalie. If these players are not on the court by the time the 2-minute warm-up clock expires, five minutes shall be placed on the score clock. If the needed number of players does arrive within these five minutes, the first period shall be shortened by 5 minutes. If the needed number of players does not arrive within these five minutes, the team without 4 skaters and a goalie forfeits.
Two officials will be assigned per game, unless otherwise noted.
There are no overtime periods during regular-season games.

2. Equipment

All games will be played with an IDS puck.
All players are required to wear Sportsplex issued jerseys with numbers. All players must have these jerseys prior to the start of the game. Players will not be allowed to play without a Sportsplex-issued jersey. If a player does not have his jersey, he may rent one from Sportsplex for $5 per game and exchange collateral to ensure the jersey’s return.
Goaltenders must wear Sportsplex jerseys as well. All rules in #2 apply to Goaltenders.
Home Team wears white jerseys and Away Team wears dark jerseys.
Players will be issued a non-transferable jersey number. No exchange or borrowing of jerseys will be allowed. This is to improve the efficiency of posting player statistics.
All players must wear a helmet designed for hockey that is properly fastened with a chin strap, elbow pads, gloves designed for hockey or lacrosse, hockey shin guards, an athletic supporter, and Inline Skates.
Players are not permitted to wear jewelry.
No black tape is allowed on hockey sticks.
Goalies must wear leg pads, helmet designed for hockey with a face-mask, upper-body equipment, catching and blocking glove designed for hockey, and Inline Skates.

3. Scorekeepers

Scorekeepers are representatives of Sportsplex.
No player may interact with the scorekeeper during the game proceedings.
Scorekeepers are to be in place and ready 5 minutes before the start of the game.
Each player must check in with the scorekeeper prior to the start of the game to note one’s presence and confirm assigned jersey numbers.

4. Financials

1. All players must pay full league fees, including jersey fees (if applicable) and Sportsplex membership prior to the registration deadline for each league session. All players paid in full by this time will receive $20 off the league fee of $170. Anyone not paid in full by the registration deadline will be charged the full price of $170 and must pay before their first game. Players will not be allowed to play until the balance is paid in full.

2. Players must register by indicated deadlines in order to play. Players that are found to register and not show up for games and/or not pay will not be permitted back in the league until they comply with stated guidelines.

3. Player memberships must be valid through the entire season. If a player’s membership should expire during a hockey season, they will be required to renew their membership at the beginning of the season (and date will be date a year from expiration date and not current date).

4. Players who rent a Sportsplex jersey for one game will be charged a $5 rental fee per game and must present collateral (ex: keys, wallet) to ensure the jersey’s return.

5. Any player that breaks a floor tile by slamming a stick down on the ground will be charged $15 for the repair and must pay this before the player’s next game.

5. Rosters / Substitutes

1. A maximum of 11 players may be on the roster. This includes Goalies.

2. Rosters will be posted before the start of the league. Any changes to the rosters after the original posting will be made by the Director of Inline Hockey or Hockey Commissioner only. If requesting a change, player(s) must submit in writing the reason for the request via e-mail to the Director of Inline Hockey.

3. Any game played with an illegal player shall be forfeited and the score registered as a 1-0 loss (see #5).

4. Any team that forfeits a game due to an illegal player (see #5) shall be placed on probation, and if it occurs a second time, they shall be removed from the league with all teams forfeited.

5. Definition of Illegal Player: An illegal player is any individual who does not have a current Sportsplex membership, is not listed on the team roster, or is a suspended player. A player is not considered an illegal player if a team does not have 4 skaters and a goalie and is not under suspension. These players are considered “fill-in” players and may only substitute until a team reaches 5 skaters and a goaltender. If an original player arrives to fulfill this quota, the “fill-in” player must leave the playing surface and player bench area.

6. Fill-in players not enrolled in the current league session are not permitted, unless approved by the Director of Inline Hockey. If allowed to play, the rate is $17 per game per player and must be paid prior to playing. This fill-in player must also have a current Sportsplex membership.

7. Only one “fill-in” player per missing player per game. There may be no substitutes for those who are already “filling-in.” A team may only “fill-in” up to 5 skaters and a goalie per team for regular season games.

6. Player Conduct

Zero Tolerance Policy: Negative or vulgar comments/gestures directed at any player, coach, referee, employee, or other spectator will NOT be tolerated. Referees will administer penalties where appropriate.
No player may drink alcohol, chew tobacco, or smoke during a league game.
Inappropriate and disruptive behavior include:
1. Use of obscene or vulgar language in a boisterous manner to anyone at anytime.
2. Taunting of players, coaches, officials, or other spectators by means of baiting, ridiculing, threat of violence, or physical violence.
3. Throwing of any object in the spectator’s viewing area, player’s bench, penalty box, or on playing surface, directed in any manner as to create safety hazard.
Players must at all times conduct themselves in a way that enhances a family-friendly environment.

7. Penalties / Corrections

1. Minor penalties are 2 minutes, major penalties are 5 minutes, and misconduct’s are 10 minutes.

2. All Major penalties carry an automatic game misconduct penalty.

3. There is no rule for a maximum number of penalties per player in one game. However, at the referee’s discretion, an official may remove a player from a game if he or she feels that the player receiving multiple penalties could be a danger to other players should he or she continue to play.

4. Any game suspensions will not be reimbursed. All fees are forfeited upon suspension from any game or league session.

5. Game Misconduct Penalties:

a. Any player who receives 1^st game misconduct penalty will receive an automatic one-game suspension.

b. Any player who receives a 2^nd game misconduct penalty in the same season will receive an automatic two-game suspension.

c. Any player who receives a 3^rd game misconduct penalty in the same season will be suspended from the remainder of the league session and will be required to be reinstated before allowed to begin another session.

6. Physical abuse of game officials will result in permanent expulsion from league play.

7. Fighting:

a. Fighting results in an automatic suspension from the current league session for any active participant involved. A second fight is an automatic ban from the facility with possibility of reinstatement by the hockey committee.

b. Any player who leaves the bench during an altercation on the playing surface is given a one-game suspension. If, during the rest of the session, a player leaves the bench a second time, he shall be expelled from any further play the rest of the season.

8. Additional game or league suspensions are awarded at the discretion of the Director of Inline Hockey.

9. Players that are suspended from the remainder of a league session will be required to be reinstated before allowed to begin another session.

a. In order to be reinstated, the player in question must request reinstatement to the Director of Inline Hockey.

b. Once a request has been made, the player must meet with the hockey board for reinstatement to be reviewed.

10. In the case of spectator misconduct, the referee may assess a bench minor for spectator misconduct to the corresponding player.

8. Referees

1. Officials are required to conduct themselves in a professional manner.

2. Officials are required to submit a report regarding incidents that result in a game suspension or league session suspension.

3. If a player wishes to question an official’s call, he may only do so when it is related to a rules interpretation, not a judgment call. Any complaints must be submitted in writing the Director of Inline Hockey.

9. Championships

1. Playoffs are played 4 on 4 plus a goalie or 5 on 5 with no goalie.

2. All teams will make the playoffs, unless otherwise noted. All rounds are single elimination.

3. Any team that has two forfeits within a season, is not eligible for the playoffs.

4. Overtime is only allowed during playoffs. In the event that a game results in a tie, a five-minute, sudden death, running-clock overtime period will commence. If the score is still a tie at the end of the first golden goal period, a second five-minute, sudden death, running-clock overtime period will commence. The first team to score will end the overtime and win the game.

5. There are NO SUBSTITUTIONS allowed in championship games. This includes semi-finals and finals. If a team does not have the required 4 skaters and a goalie to play within the 5-minute grace period before the game, the game is forfeited to the opposing team with a score of 1-0. The score will be credited to the goalie of the opposing team. The only exception to this rule would be in the case of goalies.

*All rules listed here are in addition to or emphasize those in the USA Hockey Inline rulebook.

***All rules are subject to change, based on the facility and league needs. Director of Inline Hockey will make all changes.