Playing Rules

PLC SPORTS MEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE RULES
The PLC Sports MHL is a No-Body checking and No Slap Shot above the waist league.
SECTION 1 PENALTIES

  1.    Penalties will be assessed as follows:

    a.    3-minute Minor Penalty is assessed for minor infractions as found in the Hockey Canada rule book. PLC Sports MHL has added some additional penalties to suit this type of recreational no body checking and no slap shot league.

    b.    A double Minor Penalty (two Minor Penalties) is assessed if the referee feels that an infraction deserves more than a Minor Penalty but is not deserving of a Major Penalty and a game misconduct.

    A player can be assessed a Double Minor Penalty for any penalty in the rulebook. It is assessed if the referee feels that an infraction deserves more than a Minor Penalty but is not deserving of a Major Penalty plus a Game Misconduct. A Game Ejection can also be assessed at the referee’s discretion.

    c.    Misconduct Penalty is assessed when an individual has done something that requires the individual to be penalized during a game, but the team will not be short-handed.

  2. A Game Ejection penalty is assessed to a player at any time in a game for conduct, which is deemed to be detrimental to the safety of the other players.

    There does not have to be any other penalties assessed with a Game Ejection, but there usually are. A Game Ejection is called to remove a player from the game and prevent an individual from participating in a more serious or violent situation.

    e.  A Major Penalty is assessed according to the Canadian Hockey Association Rules. The most common reasons for major penalties are the following:

    A deliberate infraction that results in an injury

    A deliberate high stick or cross check above the shoulders

Slashing is at the discretion of the referee based on the degree of violence or impact

Checking from behind is at the discretion of the referee based on the degree of violence or impact. This penalty is more stringently called when the player is checked into the boards or net.

The team plays shorthanded for 7 minutes and the player is not only assessed an additional Game Misconduct, but also is suspended indefinitely from league play pending a decision from the league President.

f.     Game Misconduct is assessed to any player receiving a 5-minute Major Penalty.  A Game Misconduct carries with it a 10-minute penalty that will count against the individual’s and the team’s penalty minutes.

g.    Match Penalty is assessed for any infraction that is a deliberate attempt to injure. This is far more severe than a Major Penalty.

The team plays shorthanded for 7 minutes and the player is not only assessed an additional Game Misconduct, but also is suspended indefinitely from league play pending a decision from the league President.

h.    After a penalty has been called, the face off will be held in the offending team’s defensive zone. If the penalty(s) called do not result in a man advantage, the face off will occur at the face off zone closest to the stop in play.

i.    All penalties assessed, even if not served due to a goal occurring during a Delayed Penalty, will still be recorded to the player(s) and team’s total.

 
  1.    Stick control. A penalty shall be called if a player is interfered with or a stick or free hand/arm is used to restrain an opponent and, may result in the:

    Balance of an opponent is adversely affected to any degree,

    Progress of an opponent is impeded or hindered to any degree,

    Ability of an opponent to propel, pass or shoot the puck, or to

receive a pass is hindered to any degree, or

·      Positional advantage achieved by an opponent is reduced or lost.

All players are expected to exercise care and control of their stick at all times. For situations not covered by current PLC MHL or Canadian Hockey Association rules, a Minor Penalty is assessed for players using their stick in such a manner that other players could potentially be injured. If an injury does occur, other penalties are levied. For example:

A player waving their stick wildly at the puck as it goes over their head

An out-of-control follow-through on a shot

A goalie dangerously batting the puck out of the air with their stick

Referees are not limited to these infractions but can call the penalty when a player is using their stick with “reckless abandon”.
Crosschecking. Striking an opponent or “raking” an opponent’s body or arm with the portion of the stick held between the hands will result in a cross-checking penalty. Any cross-check that contacts an opponent above the normal height of their shoulders will result in an automatic Major penalty plus a Game Misconduct penalty.

Slashing. Players that swing their stick with excessive force or swing (or threaten to swing) their stick for the purpose of intimidating an opponent will be penalized. Slashing type stick contact with any degree of force with an opponent’s glove, forearm or torso will be penalized. Forceful stick contact with a goaltender will result in a penalty.

Slashing the Stick:

Stick on stick contact where the intent is to play the puck is permitted provided that the force is not overly excessive and that the contact occurs low on the stick

Slashing an opponent’s stick out of their hands will result in a penalty

Slashing the shaft of an opponent’s stick close to the hands will result in a penalty.

Can-Opener/Corkscrew: Placing or moving a stick between an opponent’s legs is not permitted if it causes the opponent to stumble or fall or hinders an opponent’s ability to move freely.
  1.    Checking from behind. PLC MHL uses the Canadian Hockey Association rule for checking from behind. The rulebook allows the referee to call a minor, major, or match penalty depending on the severity of the infraction. In any case, any hit from behind penalty also includes an automatic game misconduct. Normally, a Game Misconduct carries an automatic suspension. In the case of a minor plus a game for checking from behind the following apply:

If the penalty occurs in the 1st or 2nd period, there is no suspension.

If the penalty occurs in the 3rd period, there is a minimum one game suspension.

The league President always has the option of reviewing repeat offenders and assessing additional suspensions and/or expulsion if necessary.

4.    Head Contact. A Minor Penalty for Roughing will be assessed for any player who accidentally contacts an opponent in the head, face or neck with their stick or any part of the player’s upper body or equipment. A Major Penalty and a Game Misconduct or Match Penalty could be assessed to any player who intentionally contacts an opponent in the head, face or neck with their stick or any part of the player’s upper body or equipment.

5.    Punching to the head. A player punching another player in the head will be assessed a 5-minute Punch to the Head penalty and a game misconduct. This penalty is called when:

The head is targeted.

The punch is deliberate.

There is enough force in the punch to move the player’s head.

The attempt to punch is made and will be called even if the punch misses the intended victim.

6.    A player will receive an automatic 5-minute Major Penalty and a Game Misconduct for spearing or butt-ending.

7.    Interference.

Pick or Block: Intentionally changing direction or location to block the projected route of a non-puck carrying opponent will result in a penalty.

Face-Off Interference:

Players are entitled to the space they occupy, however, players are not permitted to use their stick or free-arm/hand to impede or block the progress of an opponent after the puck is blocked.

Players are also not permitted to impede an opponent in pursuit of the puck or puck carrier by turning into the opponent or turning into the opponent’s projected route.

Players can “battle” for position as their paths merge if both are in pursuit of the puck.

8.    If a player leaves the bench during an incident, the player receives an automatic game misconduct.

 

  1.    3rd Man In. A 3rd Man In penalty will be called if a player skates aggressively into an altercation or incident that is taking place during a game or stoppage in play. The incident is not limited to a fight but can occur for any penalty or stoppage in play. This penalty will be called when there is a clear and obvious action taken by a player who was not involved in the original incident but has skated aggressively into an on-going incident or stoppage in play. This rule does not apply to a “Good Samaritan” who is attempting to restrain or otherwise diffuse the actions or behaviour of a team-mate. This penalty can be called as a minor, double-minor or 5-minute Major as warranted.

    10.    If a goalie receives 3 minor penalties or a Game Misconduct penalty, it is the referee’s discretion if the goalie is allowed to continue playing in the game. The goalie is warned of the

situation and any further misconduct will add to the suspension. The goalie is allowed to stay only if viewed as a non-threat to the other players or the referees.
If the referee ejects a goalie from the game and the referee determines there is enough time left in the game to allow a goalie substitution, a substitute goalie can be used. The time allowed for the substitution is no more than 5 minutes. If a substitute goalie is not available, another player from the team is allowed to suit up as the goalie. The substitute goaltender is not allowed a warm-up.

11.  A goalie cannot come out of the crease to deliberately freeze the puck.

If the goalie’s body is completely outside the crease, the goalie receives a delay of game penalty.

If the goalie comes out of the crease to stop a shot and in so doing, freezes the puck, this is not a penalty.

The differentiating point is if the goalie only intends to cause a stoppage and is outside the crease, the goalie receives a penalty.

If the goalie is within the crease and under no pressure, the goalie must play the puck.

The determination of “under no pressure” is when the goalie has control of the puck and is clearly able to make a play with the puck, either by shooting it or throwing it, and get back into position to make a save, the goalie would be considered to be under no pressure.

If the goalie waits with the puck, attacking players eventually put pressure on. At this point, the goalie is already committed to play the puck. Failure to do so results in a delay of game penalty. The goalie receives one warning from the referee for this situation before a penalty is assessed.

The referees will yell at the goalie when the goalie should be playing the puck. If the referee yells, “play the puck”, this indicates to the goalie that the puck must be played.

It puts the onus on the referee to yell, and once having yelled issue a warning or call a penalty if the puck is not played.

It indicates to everyone that if there is no yell, there is no penalty.

The referees are instructed to only yell when the goalie is under no pressure, to yell at that point and not later.

12.  Penalty box door. When a player’s penalty is over, the player must ensure that the penalty box door is closed completely returning to the ice. Failure to close the door completely results in a 3-minute Misconduct for delay of game. However, the team will not be shorthanded, nor will the infraction be counted against the individual’s or team’s seasonal penalty total. This rule has been implemented to minimize possible serious injury to players and referees.

If the player made an honest effort to close the door and it didn’t latch or the door is hard to close because of high glass, the referees are instructed to be reasonable.

13.  Zamboni doors. A team receives an automatic 2-minute penalty for having pucks on the ice while the Zamboni doors are still open. The team rep serves the penalty.

 

EJECTIONS

14.  A Game Ejection can be assessed to a player any time in a game for conduct which is detrimental to the safety of the other players, 3rd man in, or for minor abuse of officials, players or arena staff. There do not have to be any other penalties assessed. No time penalty to the team or suspension to the player goes along with a Game Ejection. When assessed, the player must leave the ice quietly. The Game Supervisor tracks the reason for the Game Ejection.

15.  If a player receives 3 minor penalties, the player is ejected from the game. Goalies see rule #10.

16.  If a player drops their gloves and/or removes their helmet for any reason other than during a stop in play to adjust equipment, that player automatically receives a minimum of a Game Ejection.

17.  If a player is ejected from a game or receives a Major Penalty and an automatic Game Misconduct, the player must either:

Leave the arena immediately after changing

Remain in the dressing room for the remainder of the game.

If opposing players are ejected at the same time, the home team’s player(s) will be removed first and then the visiting team player(s) will be ejected after the home team player(s) have gone to the dressing room.

Failure to comply with this rule results in further disciplinary action against the player, including possible expulsion from the league.

When a player receives 3 game ejections per team, per season, he/she will incur a game suspension.

SECTION 2 SUSPENSIONS

  1.  A suspended player is not allowed to be on the bench for any reason.

    19.  During the regular season:

    a.    1st level penalty plateau: if a player accrues 45 or more penalty minutes, the player is suspended for 1 game.

    b.    2nd level penalty plateau: if a player accrues an additional 15 minutes in penalties, (for a total of 60 minutes) the player is suspended for a second game.

    c.    maximum penalty plateau: if a player accrues an additional 15 minutes in penalties, (for a total of 75 minutes) the player is suspended for the remainder of the regular season including playoffs.
  1. No player is allowed to play for any PLC MHL team while under suspension.
  2. At the end of a game, if an incident occurs in which one player commits a totally unnecessary foul designed to provoke a response from the other player, the offending player will be assessed a Game Misconduct in addition to whatever other penalty is assessed.  For example, a few seconds after the buzzer a player slashes an opponent in a way that would only incur a minor penalty, since all players are now on the ice, a melee breaks out with possibly more penalties.  In this case, in addition to whatever else the referee assesses, the original infraction will also be assessed a Game Misconduct for unnecessarily starting a problem after the buzzer.
  3. All disciplinary matters are dealt with by the league President. The league President will investigate all disciplinary incidents. Expulsions or suspensions exceeding 5 games can be appealed by the team. The appeal must be submitted to the league in writing within 7 days of the decision and must accompany a $100 cash bond. Any suspensions 5 games and under cannot be appealed. The league President’s decision is final. Successful appeals are 100% refundable.

Conduct

  1.  Alcohol and drugs. The player agrees that he/she will never bring alcohol or any other drug onto the premises of any arena for any reason whatsoever. If any player skates in any PLC MHL game under the influence of drugs or alcohol, that player and/or team is ejected from the game/league immediately and faces supplementary discipline including possible expulsion.

    24.  All players must act in a mature manner when participating in PLC MHL activities, including games, tournaments and/or other league functions. The player agrees that any behavior which the management of PLC MHL shall deem to jeopardize PLC MHL’s ability to lease ice or otherwise conduct its business will result in the player’s immediate expulsion from the league.

    25.  Property damage. The player agrees to reimburse PLC MHL in full, within 10 days of notice, for any property damage for which the player is responsible, as determined by PLC MHL, or the team is expelled from PLC MHL immediately.

    26.  Dressing Room Security. Do not leave your valuables in the dressing room.  The league and the facility are not responsible for any theft or loss of money or valuables.  Be sure your dressing room is locked!

    27.  Verbal abuse of officials is not tolerated. The following procedure can ultimately end the game if players continue to verbally abuse the officials.

    After the third verbal abuse, both officials will find the team rep of the team with the verbal abuses and explains the rule.  If the player(s) get two more verbal abuse penalties of any kind, the game will be over, and the offending team will forfeit the game.
    If there is a fifth verbal abuse, both officials will get together and concur that this is the right call as the game will now end.  For a game to be cancelled for verbal abuse, there must be a minimum of 5 verbal abuse incidents on the game sheet.

 

If the officials agree there are 5 verbal abuse incidents, the teams will be informed that the game is over, and the offending team must leave the ice. If there is time left in the game, the remaining team can use the ice.  If the time is over, the remaining team must also leave the ice.

The league President will follow-up on teams with verbal abuse problems.

PLC MHL League Policy

  1. PLC MHL reserves the right to refuse to register or re-register any application by any player or team at the league’s discretion.

  2. No one may play for any team if they have not completed a PLC MHL registration, and they have been approved by PLC MHL. This includes spare call ups. No spares can be used during the playoffs.

A player must be a minimum of 23 years to play.
No player is allowed to play if they have been charged with a criminal offence or is involved in litigation or a pending, ongoing or concluded court case involving PLC MHL and/or any member, employee, referee or agent of PLC MHL.

If you plan to use a spare for any regular season game, you must have them fill out and sign a PLC Sports MHL registration form, submit it to the league office at info@plcsports.com or present it to the time keeper before the game. His name and jersey number must be reported to the timekeeper before the game starts.

If an illegal player is used in a game, that game is declared a 1-0 forfeit loss and the illegal player is expelled from the league for the balance of the season, including playoffs.

30.  Non-Players in Player’s Bench or Arena

Non-players or coaches are not allowed on the player’s bench at any time for any reason. The only exception to this rule is for accredited coaches approved by PLC MHL. These coaches must register with the league, be issued a PLC MHL Coach’s Card and stand safely behind the boards. Coaches will be subject to any penalties or supplementary discipline as would any PLC MHL players. Non-playing team members can not disrupt the game in any way or behave in an unsportsmanlike manner or they will face supplementary discipline up to and including expulsion if necessary.

31.  Spectators and Non-Playing Team Members Code of Conduct

All spectators or Non-playing team members must conduct themselves with courtesy and respect for others participating or observing PLC MHL games or events.

All spectators or Non-Playing team members must remain in designated spectator areas or behind the glass areas of the rink at all times.

All spectators or Non-Playing team members must avoid contact with the player’s bench, time keeper’s box, penalty boxes, arena equipment access areas, equipment rooms or other non-spectator or player areas except as noted in rule 33.
  1. Supplementary discipline. In addition to suspensions imposed under the PLC MHL Rules, PLC MHL may, at their discretion, investigate any incident that occurs in connection with any game, and may assess additional suspensions during or after a game, whether such an offense was called by the referee. It must be noted that the PLC MHL Rules spell out the minimum sanction or penalty that a player serves. A player’s additional suspension and/or expulsion from the league could result after the league completes their investigation of an incident.

    33.  PLC MHL First Aid Policy. PLC MHL, the Arena, the Sponsors, the Directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives and any volunteers in any way associated with the event/program/game have been instructed not to offer any first aid assistance of any kind other than to call 911. All teams are advised to provide their own first aid kits.

    34.  The player agrees that PLC MHL may use any audio and/or visual recordings and/or photographs of any PLC MHL activity in which the player may appear for promotional purposes. No player is allowed to use/wear a personal video recording device on the ice during a game.

    PLC MHL Games

    35.  All games must have a minimum of 1 PLC MHL referee. If there are no referees, the game is rescheduled. The teams can use the ice for shinny.

  2. The periods will be 15-15 and the third period will be set to the balance of the time remaining in the 50-minute session less 2 minutes. The last 2 minutes of the game will be stopped time. In the case of catastrophic injury, travesty of the game or other emergency, the game is shortened to accommodate the rest of the teams scheduled to play.
  1. Teams are allowed to change lines or players on the fly, or, on a whistle during a stop in play. After a stop in play, the referee allows approximately 5 seconds for line changes. When the referee’s hand is up for a face-off, line changes are not allowed.

    38.  Forfeit games. At the start of a game, if a team cannot ice 5 skaters and a goalie or 6 skaters and no goalie, from their own roster, the game will be declared a forfeit loss. During the course of a game a team has a short bench and also incurs penalties, the game will not end in the following situations:

    ·     A team with 5 skaters incurs a coincidental penalty, both players will serve a penalty and the game will continue 4 on 4.

    However, the game will end in the following situations:

    ·     A team with 4 skaters incurs any penalty

    ·     A team with 5 skaters or less incurs a misconduct, a game misconduct or a game ejection.

    If a game is forfeited the ice will be used by both teams as a scrimmage with the inclusion of the Referees and game Supervisor unless it is determined by the referee that such a scrimmage might incur the risk of violence or possible misconduct.

 

THE USE OF SPARES:

 

No team is permitted to use a spare unless they have less than 10 skaters. If you have 10 or more skaters, you cannot use a spare. You are allowed to use a maximum of 3 spares per game.

All spare players must sign and submit a player registration form before the game. They must submit this form to the timekeeper when they get in the ice. Any team using a spare who has not filled out the form, will forfeit that game. Team captains must email Peter Cardo the name of the spare player and the jersey number they wore during the game within 24 hours of the completion of the game.

 

  1.  2-line offside. There is no centre line; therefore, there is no 2-line offside.

    40.  No-fault offside. In a delayed offside situation, if the puck inadvertently and unintentionally touches an attacking player without affecting the play and not putting the defending team at a disadvantage, the referee lets the delayed offside continue.

    41.  Icing. When the puck is shot from behind the defending blue line, icing is called the instant the puck crosses the goal line. There is no centre line in PLC MHL; therefore, the centre line is not used for icing.

    42.  Goal spread. During the regular season, if the goal spread is 5 or more goals, the clock will be on running time for the entire 3rd period. After a team achieves a 5-goal advantage, additional goals will be recorded but not counted for individual stats unless the goal differential drops below 5 goals.

  2. Allowable penalty subs. If a player gets more than one Minor Penalty and is ejected or removed from the game, his team can rotate a substituted a player in the penalty box to serve the penalty. The substitute player must be from the ice, and the substitution must be on whistles and cannot delay the game.

 

Playoffs

44. A 5-game round robin will be the format for the playoffs.

Tie Breaker for Playoff Round Robin standings.

In the event where 2 or more teams are tied after the round robin, the following tie breaker will decide the final standings:

Fewest Penalty Minutes. The tied teams with the fewest penalty minutes will be seeded higher.
If penalty minutes are tied, teams head-to-head record will be used.
If still tied, goal differential will be used. (plus/minus)
If still tied, coin toss.

Teams will receive 2 points for a win and 1 point for a tie. There will be no overtime during the round robin play.

Championship Day:

The 1st and 2nd place team will play for the A Championship.

3rd and 4th will play for the B Championship

5th and 6th will play for the C Championship.

If a game is tied after regulation, an NHL style shoot out will occur.

Equipment

  1.  All players must wear CSA approved helmets with a proper chin strap.  A chin strap is the strap going between the ear flaps and under the chin.  String, hockey laces or tape do not constitute a chin strap. The chin strap is not to be confused with straps holding the face mask on. The player must immediately correct the chin strap to play. There are no warnings.

    46.   FACE SHIELDS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. All players should wear CSA approved facial protection. The league insurance is greatly reduced for players who do not wear visors.