Rules and Regulations   Règlements  June 1, 2005 - draft

The following rules have been adopted in order to minimize the risk of personal injury and to avoid situations leading to conflicts. Playing hockey is fun! Hassles and hurts are not. NHL rules will apply with the following exceptions.

LAW ON SAFETY IN SPORTS
Anyone participating in ice hockey must wear the following protective equipment when such activity takes place in an area specifically designated to this end. (This means in any arena.)

1. A protective helmet consistent with the standard Hockey Helmet regulation number CAN3-2262-1-M83.

2. A face protector consistent with the standard facial protector for ice hockey and lacrosse players regulation number CAN3-2262-2M78 (FULL FACE).

3. A neck protector

• Covering all of the lower neck from its lowest to the top of the thyroid cartilage Adams Apple).
• Made from a material that would prevent a skate blade stroke from cutting or laceration the protected part of the neck.
• Designed in such a way that it will not get displaced during the course of play.

Any regular or replacement player not prepared with the above safety equipment will not be allowed to play.

GAMES
All games are played Thursday nights. The early game begins at 20:30 for warm up, game at 20:35 and ends at 21:35. The late game begins at 21:45 for warm up, game at 21:50 and ends at 22:50. The three periods are scheduled at 20/20/18 leaving 5 minutes for warm up and one-minute break between periods. Teams will change ends at the end of each period.

DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE
The committee will consist of the President and/or the Vice-President and both captains of the teams involved.

SUSPENSIONS
All game misconducts will be reviewed by the Discipline Committee and in certain extreme circumstances, repeat offenders may be awarded further game suspensions or expulsion from the league. A player who is suspended for the balance of the season will not be refunded his fees.

REFEREE DECISION
A minor penalty will be assessed to any player who disputes or challenges the ruling of a referee. Only the team captain or his designated assistant may diplomatically ask the referee to explain a ruling. After such explanation, the matter shall be considered closed. There is no stop time during these disputes. Further discussion must be carried out outside the context of the game and in the presence of the Discipline Committee.

PENALTIES

• Minor penalty - 3 minutes (running time)
• Major penalty - 5 minutes (running time)
• Misconduct -10 minutes (running time)
• Game misconduct -ejection from game in progress
• Suspension -at the discretion of the Discipline Committee

MULTIPLE PENALTIES
Any player assessed a combination of three (3) minor/major penalties during a game will also be assessed a game misconduct penalty.

FIGHTING
A minor penalty may be assessed if a player exhibits extreme and abusive language. A major and a game misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player who fights, attempts to fight or deliberately attempts to injure an opponent. On the second offence during a season, the Discipline Committee will review players’ conduct. The Discipline Committee reserves the right to suspend any player for the rest of the season on or after that players’ second offence.

BENCHING
If a minor or a major penalty is assessed to a goalie or to a player who has been ejected from the game, that team will play short-handed as usual but without the necessity of sitting a scapegoat player on the penalty bench.

BODY CONTACT
A minor penalty will be assessed to a player who intentionally pushes, shoves or does not make a reasonable attempt to avoid body contact. Intentional body contact may draw a major penalty or game misconduct penalty, depending on the severity of the contact.

BOARDING, CROSS-CHECKING, HIGH-STICKING, SLASHING
A minor penalty will be assessed to a player boarding, cross-checking, high-sticking or slashing an opponent. Definition of high-sticking includes any stick contacting above the waist or on the arms as per new NHL rule change.

ICING
International Hockey Rules for icing have been adopted. Icing will be called during all regulation time. International icing is as follows: When the defensive player ices the puck from the defensive zone the offensive player does not have to touch the puck for icing to be called. The moment the puck crosses the goal line in the offensive end, the play will be whistled dead and the face-off will be make in the defensive zone.

SLAPSHOT
A shot will be assessed as slap-shot if the blade of the hockey stick is accelerated over a distance greater than 12 inches prior to contacting the puck. This also applies to a re-directed shot. The referee will be the sole judge and his decision is final. A team will lose their advantage if they are in the offensive zone at the time a player fakes or makes a slap-shot. Goals scored as a result of a slap-shot shall be annulled.

GOALTENDERS CREASE
The league will use the standard crease for enforcement of rules. No offensive player will enter the crease at any time. This includes screening of the goaltender, passing through to gain position or while the puck is in the crease. The offensive team will lose their advantage, as the play will be whistled dead and the face-off will come outside the blue line.

LOSS OF HELMET OR GLOVE
A player who loses his helmet and/or glove(s) must immediately pick up his equipment. If the player does not pick up his equipment the play will be whistled dead and the face-off will come outside the blue line if the infraction is against the offensive team.

USE OF DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT
All equipment used by a player must be in good condition so as not to be a hazard to himself or other players. Once notified of defective or hazardous equipment, the player must make immediate correction of the fault or cease play. This particularly applies to broken sticks or blades, which can injure other players and inadequate facial protection.

DISCRIMINATORY OR RACIST LANGUAGE
It is mandatory that players conduct themselves in a gentlemanly manner. The utterance of discriminatory or racist remarks (based on language, colour, religion, race etc.) will not be tolerated. Offences will be dealt with severely.

EQUIPMENT NOT RETURNED TO THE LEAGUE
Players are responsible to return all equipment which is the property of the LSA at the end of the season. All sweaters, socks, locks, water bottles, pucks etc will be collected by the team captains. Failure to return equipment will result in a fine for the replacement cost of any lost items. A player’s refusal to pay this fine will result in expulsion from the league.

TEAM BALANCE AND TRADING PLAYERS
After the teams have played each other two times, trades may be considered in the interest of creating teams of more equal strength. All trades must be discussed by a minimum of 5 members of the league committee, which must have at least one representative from each team, and be approved by this group. All trades must be completed by the first week of November. The teams will remain unchanged after this date until the completion of the playoffs.

LATE FEE
A player will be assessed a $5.00 late fee on either of these two conditions:
1. He enters the dressing room after the Zamboni has taken to the ice
2. He is not on the bench at the commencement of the game

If the game has commenced prior to the arrival of the member and a replacement has been obtained and started, then the offending member will have incurred a $5.00 late fee as well as have lost his playing privilege for that particular game.

REPLACEMENT PLAYERS (DURING THE SEASON)
During the regular season, it is incumbent upon the member to obtain an appropriately rated replacement player from the spare list..  The member must notify the spare that it is obligatory to wear a regulation hockey helmet with full facial protection as well as a neck protector in order to be allowed to play.

The same spare cannot replace the same member for more than two (2) consecutive games. If a member fails to replace himself, the offending member will be subject to a $12.00 fine.

REPLACEMENT PLAYERS (DURING THE ROUND ROBIN PLAYOFFS)
It is incumbent upon the respective team captain, with due consideration and diligence, to replace all absent players from the latest updated spare list in accordance with the following:
1. A 10 rated player is to be replaced by any 9 rated spare without the necessity of consulting the opposing team captain.
2. A 9 rated player is to be replaced by any 8 rated spare without the necessity of consulting the opposing team captain.
3. An 8 rated player is to be replaced by an equivalently rated 8 spare subject to the acceptance of the opposing team captain.
4. A 7 rated player is to be replaced by an equivalently rated 7 spare subject to the acceptance of the opposing team captain.
5. A 6 rated player is to be replaced by an equivalently rated 6 spare subject to the acceptance of the opposing team captain.
6. A goaltender is to be replaced by an equivalently rated spare goaltender subject to the acceptance of the opposing team captain.

RETURNING PLAYERS
From time to time a player may be forced to withdraw from the league on a short term or permanent basis. Consideration will be given to these players who wish to return to the league for play. Players may take a temporary leave of absence in which case a temporary replacement player will be selected. Players may return after leaving the league on a permanent basis, but must wait for an opening to become available in the league roster. The league may refuse to allow a player to return to the league, once he has decided to leave permanently.

In the event in which a player cannot complete the season, a new player must be sought to replace the missing player. Temporary replacement of such a player may be effected from the spare list only on a short-term basis. The selection of the appropriate candidate must be approved by a minimum of five members of the league committee with at least one member representing each team, so as to ensure the league balance and competitiveness. The full time replacement player will be selected on the basis of playing ability to match that of the leaving player and league needs, sportsmanship, reliability, length of time on the spare list, acquaintance of the league players, nice guy factor etc.

This replacement is only for the time that the league member is unable to compete. When the regular member is able to return, the replacement player will loose his right to play. The replacement player does not by virtue of his having played, gain full privileges of a regular league member and has no rights of returning for the following season. The league executive reserves the right to offer or refuse membership to a full time replacement player in the following season as best benefits the league.

TEMPORARY LEAVE OF ABSENCE
A member of the league, for reasons that are subject to the acceptance of the executive committee, may elect to take a temporary leave of absence consisting of a maximum of one (1) season.

In order to retain membership and be considered for the upcoming draft, the member in question must notify an executive by the first of August of the subsequent year regarding his intentions to return as of the commencement of the forthcoming season. If the foregoing is not respected, the member will have resigned from the association forfeiting all rights and privileges.

Membership reinstatement will be subject to availability and at the discretion of the association’s executive.

The executive officers and team captains will select an appropriate replacement from the spare list for the duration of the member’s absence. The replacement player does not gain any privileges of permanent membership or right of return for the following season.

MEMBERSHIP
It is incumbent upon the members to respect the foregoing rules and regulations as well as submit all financial considerations as and when requested in order to retain their membership.

ASL membership is by invitation. The league executive reserves the right to offer or refuse membership as best benefits the league.

METHOD TO BE USED TO ESTABLISH STANDINGS AND WINNERS

TIE-BREAKING FORMULA
At the conclusion of the regular season as well as the round robin playoffs, the standings of the teams shall be determined in accordance with the following NHL priorities in the order listed:

1. The higher the number of points earned by a team based upon: 

• Victory - 2 points
• Tie - 1 point
• Loss - 0 points

2. The greater number of games won by the team.

3. The higher the number of points earned against each other among the two or more teams having equal standings under priorities 1 and 2.

4. The greater positive differential between the total number of goals scored for and against for the entire season or playoffs by the teams having equal standings under priority 3.

5. The greater positive differential between the total number of goals scored for and against for the games between the tied teams under priority 4.

6. In the case of Round Robin play, the team that will have completed the season with a higher standing will advance to the final.

7. If still tied, a single coin toss, as administered by either the President or Vice President, will determine which team is awarded the higher position.

SEASON FINAL

REPLACEMENT PLAYERS
In the final game, all absent players will be replaced, with agreement obtained from the opposing captain as to the exact selection of player to ensure no advantage is taken. Disagreements will be arbitrated by the league President and Vice-president as above.

START
The season final game will commence precisely at 8:35 and consist of three periods of 20/20/20 minutes with one minute between each period.

OVER TIME
In the case of a tie after regulation time, there will be An immediate five-minute, sudden death over time period where each team will play five on five.

SHOOT OUTS
In the case of a tie after over time, a shoot-out will determine the winner. Each team will pick five players who will alternate penalty shots, the first team shooting determined by a coin toss. The five shooters for each team will wait by the players' bench, at centre ice; all other players will wait on the bench. The team with the most goals after each of the five players has had one penalty shot is the winner.

In the event that a tie still remains, then the two teams will proceed to sudden death shoot-outs. The winner will be determined by the first team to take a lead in goals pair by pair. Sudden-death shoot outs will start through the roster in order where the rotation stands after the first five shooters have finished. The final game will be won by the first team to take a lead in goals with each shooting pair.  The shoot-outs will continue through the team roster until a winner is determined.

CONSOLATION GAME
The second (consolation) game will be played as a regular season game with periods of 20/20/time remaining.

Good luck to all players, enjoy yourselves and have a safe season of hockey!

June 11, 2005