DELAWARE COUNTY SCHOLASTIC INLINE HOCKEY LEAGUE

DELAWARE COUNTY SCHOLASTIC INLINE HOCKEY LEAGUE

RULES OF PLAY FOR THE 2005-06 SEASON

1. PLAY REGULATIONS

DCSIHL playing rules will be governed by the DCSIHL, Marple Sports Arena Policy, and USA HOCKEY INLINE rules (as they apply). Where DCSIHL, Marple Sports Arena Policy and USA HOCKEY INLINE rules conflict, DCSIHL rules take precedence.

Time Slot - All games are scheduled in a 50-minute time slot; if a game ends early and both coaches are ready they are encouraged to start early to keep delays to a minimum.

Length of Game: 3 minutes warm-up time, 1-minute timeout between periods

Number of Periods: two 20-minute periods

Timeouts: 2 one-minute timeouts per team, per game.

Clock: running during game, except for the last 2 minutes if score is within 2 goals, penalty clock is running

No offsides.

No icing, except in the last 2 minutes if the trailing team in within 2 goals and has pulled their goalie for an additional skater. In this situation icing will be called on the leading team only if any player of that team shoots the puck over the center line and it passes the goal line, without entering the goal or hitting the posts or crossbar, this includes pucks which pass through the crease or over the goal without being touched by a defending player. Icing will be waved off if, in the judgment of the official, a defender could have made a play on the puck before it crossed the goal line.

Face-off timeout: Referee will wait a maximum of 10 seconds from the time he arrives in the circle, at which time he will drop the puck regardless if either team is ready.

Tie Scores: Regular season tie scores at the end of regulation will continue immediately with a 2 minute “2 on 2” play of sudden death with a stopping clock. Timeouts are not permitted. Regardless of remaining time on regulation time penalties, neither team will field less than 2 skaters. Substitutions are permitted at anytime during this period.

Remaining Penalties: Regulation time penalties will not carry over into overtime, however the offending players with time left on their violations must remain in the penalty box and will not be eligible for overtime play even after their remaining time expires.

Overtime penalties: All penalties called during overtime will result in a penalty shot. The time clock will remain stopped during the attempt. If no goal is scored, play will resume, however the offending player must be replaced. Coincidental minors will cancel each other out, and the offending players must be replaced.

If after this play the score remains tied, 1 point will be rewarded to each team. Playoff tie games will be governed by playoff rules.

2. ELIGIBILITY

Hard copy rosters must be submitted to the league prior to the first game. Final Rosters must be completed and submitted to the league before the start of the 8th game. Player Eligibility: Players shall be residents of, and attending the member school district, or a private high school for which the player is a club member. Players must participate in at least half the regular season games to be eligible for the playoffs, except in the case of documented injuries, which are reported to the league at the time, the injury occurs.

Goalkeeper Eligibility: Goalkeepers will be permitted to move between the two divisions during the regular season if the team’s regular goalkeeper is not able to play. However for playoff games, only another rostered player can replace the team’s regular goalkeeper. If a goalkeeper plays in half of a club’s varsity games, he can no longer play in the JV division if he has won three or more varsity or jr. varsity games.

Goalkeepers will be excluded from the "Player Eligibility" provision on newly formed clubs if the club is unable to recruit a goalkeeper from their school and if, (a) in the opinion of the league, the club does not recruit a "ringer" or a goaltender that has played organized ice hockey, or (b) the participation is not opposed by a another member club which represents the school which the goaltender attends. In any case, this provision is good for one season only.

Goalkeepers who play in the Jr. Varsity division will be permitted to be rostered and play in the Varsity division in any other position except goaltender for the regular season and the playoffs. Under no circumstances will this player be permitted to goal tend in any Varsity playoff games.

Member clubs with multiple Jr. Varsity teams will be permitted to rotate their goaltenders between teams during the regular season, however they must be assigned to only one team during the playoffs.

3. PENALTIES

The below listed penalties are meant to serve league members as an instructional aid in behavior modification. Time off the rink, whether it be 2 minutes or a game suspension is designed to give a player an opportunity to reflect on their performance, and to determine if their personal behavior is helping their team succeed. It is not the intention of the league to suspend any player, however the safety of all players, coaches, officials, and fans is the first priority of consideration of the league. Any player who, in the opinion of the referee, rink, or league official, violates any of the listed rules shall be subject to its provisions.

Current USA HOCKEY INLINE rules will apply and are expanded to include the following league actions. All club members, including coaches and staffs are governed by ejection and suspension rules.

Ejections: Ejections do not automatically carry the additional action of additional game suspension; for instance, players who are ejected from a game for an aggressive minor, (i.e. roughing, checking, cross-checking, slashing, boarding) penalty or an unsportmanship minor shall receive a one period suspension during the following game. Players who receive a game misconduct shall receive a one period suspension per 5 min penalty. Additional misconducts will receive 1 game suspension for the 2nd offense, and 2 game suspension for the 3rd offense and so on.

Fighting: “ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FIGHTING” Any player charged with fighting will be ejected for the remainder of the season.

Major Penalties: Any player who receives a major penalty will receive a 1 game suspension for the 1st offense, 3 game suspensions for the 2nd offense, and 5 game suspensions for the 3rd offense, with a mandatory league ejection hearing to be conducted within 2 weeks of the 3rd offense. Any player who receives a major penalty or misconduct in the last five minutes of a game will receive an additional one game suspension.

Match Penalties: Any player who receives a match penalty will receive a 1 game suspension for the 1st offense, 3 game suspension for the 2nd offense, and 5 game suspension for the 3rd offense, with a mandatory league ejection hearing to be conducted within 2 weeks of the 3rd offense. Any player who receives a match penalty in the last five minutes of a game will receive an additional one game suspension.

Off Rink Conduct: Players are subject to suspensions for any unsportsmanlike conduct from the moment they arrive at the rink until they depart the parking lot. All misconduct will carry the same penalties as if they occurred on the rink during a game.

Reporting of Violations: All violations must be reported to the league president by the coach of the offending player(s) within 48 hrs. Additional penalties may be applied to coaches who fail to follow this directive.

Additional Penalties: For especially grievous behavior, all coaches and club representatives have the right to request additional penalties for rule violations. The league reserves the right to conduct investigations, schedule meetings or hearings, and issue suspensions or fines against any club or member if a majority of the attending club representatives vote that such action is warranted.

Appeals: All suspensions may be appealed to the League’s Appeals Commissioner, and must be done in writing within 72 hrs. after being notified of the suspension. Any involved party may introduce recorded video evidence into the appeal process for consideration, however it must be unedited footage. The league also reserves the right to assess additional penalties to any or all league members committing offenses observed while reviewing this video evidence.

Amendments ratified October 2004