Rules & Regulations

Section 1 - Game Flow

Rule 1 - Game and Intermission Timing

1.1 Warm Up Time - 3 minutes will be allowed for a team to warm up and get ready for the game.

1.2 Game Timing - The time allowed for a game shall be two 12 minute runtime halves.

1.2.1 Clock Stoppage - Clock will be stopped during last 1:00 minutes of the 2nd half if the score of the game is within 1 goal and a box worker is available.

1.3 Intermission Timing - Play shall be resumed promptly following each intermission upon the expiration of the 2:00 minutes from the completion of play in the preceding half.

1.4 Ice Resurface - Ice will be resurfaced after every other game.

Rule 2 - Puck Out of Bounds

2.1 Puck Out of Bounds -When the puck leaves the playing area on the sides of the rink or over the net of one of the ends of the rink it shall be faced-off at center ice.

2.2 Net Deflections -Pucks that fly up behind the net will not be whistled dead and play will resume once the puck returns to the ice surface. The clock will not stop and a face-off will not be needed. If puck falls out of play refer to Rule 2.1.

Rule 3 - Injury

3.1 Player Injury Sustained During Game Play -When a player is injured during game play, no time will be added to the clock. DAHL operators are committed to player safety, however, ice-time slots do not take into account these situations. If the official notices the progress of the game is ahead of the scheduled ice-time slot, he, at his discretion and his discretion only, has the opportunity to add additional time to the game play clock to account for the delay due to the sustained injury. Also, additional time will be subtracted from intermission breaks, if needed, to get the progress of the game back on schedule.

3.2 Major Injuries - Major injuries sustained during game play that leave a player unable to move under his/her own power and require medical assistance will be taken seriously and will be discussed by DAHL operators immediately. The best course of action will be taken to get the tournament back on schedule, and this determination will be communicated to the team managers.

Section 2 - Penalties/Infractions

Rule 4 - Penalties

4.1 Minor Penalties - Minor penalties will result in a penalty shot. The opposing team will shoot a penalty shot from 20 feet from the goal, all players will stand behind the shooter; then it is a live puck after the shooter releases his shot.

4.2 Major Penalties - Major penalties will result in a game ejection for the player who committed the infraction. Refer to Rule 4.1 for penalty shot.

Rule 5 - Physical Fouls

5.1 Body Checking - Body checking is not allowed. Any intentional body checks will result in a minor penalty. If a body check results in a player injury, a major penalty and game ejection for the player who applied the body check will be enforced (refer to Rule 3.2). Additional game suspensions may be applied upon review by the officials and DAHL operators.

5.2 Fighting - A fight shall be deemed to have occurred when at least one player (or goalkeeper) punches or attempts to punch an opponent repeatedly or when two players wrestle in such a manner as to make it difficult for the official to intervene and separate the combatants. Both players will be ejected from the game (refer to Rule 5.5).

5.3 Altercation - An altercation is a situation involving two players, with at least one to be penalized.

5.4 Continuing or Attempting to Continue a Fight - Any player who persists in continuing or attempting to continue a fight or altercation after he has been ordered by the official to stop, or who resists an official in the discharge of his duties shall, at the discretion of the official, incur a major penalty and game misconduct in addition to any penalties previously imposed.

5.5 Game Ejection - Anyone who fights or initiates a fight will be ejected from the game in which the fight took place. All fights will be reviewed by DAHL operators. DAHL operators reserve the right to suspend players for additional games based on the severity of the fight (refer to Rule 3.1 regarding player safety).

Rule 6 - Other Fouls

6.1 Slapshot - Slapshots are not allowed. A slap shot occurs when the player lifts his stick above his waist. If a player takes a slap shot the face off will be at center ice.

6.2 Kickshots - No kickshots allowed. A kick shot is where the player places their leg behind the stick and uses the leg to shoot the puck off the stick. A kick shot results in a stoppage of play and the puck will be faced off in the offending team's defensive zone.

6.3 Other Actions - If there are any other actions that an official determines to be inappropriate, he may ask the player to leave the ice or impose a penalty to the player acting in such a way.

6.4 Delaying of the Game - Any player who delays the game may be submitted to a minor penalty or major penalty and game ejection depending on how the player is delaying the game. The penalty selection is at the discretion of the official and will be final.

Section 3 - Officials

Rule 7 - Officials

7.1 Officiating General Conduct -A player, goalkeeper, Coach or non-playing person shall not challenge or dispute the rulings of an official before, during or after a game. A player, goalkeeper, Coach or non-playing person shall not display unsportsmanlike conduct including, but not limited to, obscene, profane or abusive language or gestures, comments of a personal nature intended to degrade an official, or persist in disputing a ruling after being told to stop or after being penalized for such behavior. Any arguing with an official is prohibited and could result in a game ejection of the current game plus a game suspension of the following game. All incidents will be reviewed by DAHL operators. DAHL operators reserve the right to enforce additional game suspensions depending on the severity of the incident.

NOTE: When such conduct is directed at anyone other than an official, Rule 3.2 - Major Penalty shall be applied.

7.2 Bench Minor Penalty -A bench minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed under this rule for the following infractions:

(i) Any Coach or non-playing person who bangs the boards with a stick or other object at any time, showing disrespect for an official's decision. If this is done in order to get the attention of the on-ice officials for a legitimate reason (i.e. serious injury, illness, etc.), then discretion must be exercised by the Officials.

(ii) Any unidentifiable player or goalkeeper, or any Coach or non-playing person who uses obscene, profane or abusive language or gesture directed at an on or off-ice official or uses the name of any official coupled with any vociferous remarks.

7.3 Game Misconduct Penalty - A game misconduct penalty shall be assessed under this rule for the following infractions:

(i) Any player who, after being assessed a major penalty, persists in challenging or disputing the ruling of an official.

7.4 Reports - It is the responsibility of all game officials and all club officials to send a confidential report to the DAHL operators setting out the full details concerning the use of obscene gestures or language by any player, Coach or non-playing Club personnel. The league review board shall take such further disciplinary action as they deem appropriate.

Section 4 - Teams

Rule 8 - Team Rosters

8.1 Registered - Players must sign all applicable waivers prior to competing in any game. Failure to complete the waivers will prevent the individual from competing in any and all games.

8.2 Team Rosters - Team rosters will be checked prior to the start of each game. Any individual not on the team roster will not be permitted to play (refer to Rule 8.3). An individual will not be allowed to play on two teams (exception: goalies).

8.3 Sub Players/Pick up players -Teams can only sub/pick up players if the individual is not already on a team in the tournament. The roster to which the individual signed up for first is the team in which they are entitled to. Any sub will have to sign all applicable waivers prior to competing in games. DAHL operators reserve the right to not allow sub players.

Section 5 - Tie Breakers

Rule 9 - Tie Breaker

9.1 Tie Break Shootout - If a game is tied after two halves of play a three man shootout will be held. All three players must be different. If the shootout is not won within the first three players, teams will alternate shots in a sudden death shootout until a winner is determined, see Rule 9.1.1.

9.1.1 Sudden Death Shootout - During the sudden death shootout, a player can go numerous times, but cannot shoot twice in a row - the player can also be the same player who was one of the original three shooters (ie. John can shoot last in the tie breaker and then can shoot again as the 4th shooter, but cannot shoot again until a different player has shot as the 5th shooter).