Rules

• All players must be registered before entering the rink
• Only registered players and NEPHF officials and volunteers are allowed on the rinks.
• All players must wear helmets and hockey skates. Protective equipment is optional but highly recommended.
• No goalie equipment or goalie sticks permitted.
• All teams must have matching jerseys or uniforms.
• All games are running time and substitutions can be made during play (Players leaving the game must be at the snow boards before new skater can engage inplay) or while a puck is out of play.
• There will be one off-ice Pond official to monitor the play (scoring, time, puckreset, and arbiter of infractions and disputes).
• Penalties will be called for rule infractions. Penalties called on honor system. A minor penalty will result in a goal awarded to opposing team as well as possession of puck.
• Any major penalty, which includes any action that could possibly injure another player, will result in ejection from the tournament. The team that received the ejection will play the remainder of the tournament short-handed (3 vs. 4). Off-ice Pond official will determine major penalties.
• Abuse of officials will be considered a major penalty. This includes yelling, swearing, or arguing about calls.
• No checking is allowed. Such action will result in a minor penalty unless deemed serious enough to be a major.
• No Slapshots allowed. Such action will result in a minor penalty.
• Players cannot fall or lay on the ice in an effort to protect the goal area. Such action will result in a minor penalty.
• Players cannot lay their sticks down to protect the goal area. Such action will result in a minor penalty.
• A player may not patrol or remain stationary in directly in front of the goal.
• A defender may deflect the puck in the crease area, but the defender must do so while continuing to move through the crease area, which is defined as a box extending 4 feet in from of the goal mouth.
• Contacting the puck with a stick above the waist will result in a loss of possession.
• Raising the puck intentionally will result in a loss of possession.
• If a puck goes out of bounds, the last team to touch it loses possession. During restart, the defender must give his opponent 2-stick lengths of space.
• Players should not pursue puck out of play. Officials will have extra pucks and immediately spot a puck for play to continue. Puck chasers are provided.
• There are no off-sides or icing calls.
• Goals must be scored from the attacking side of center ice.
• Except for the opening face off, teams must give their opponents ½ ice after a goal is scored or an infraction takes place. Team with the puck must move it quickly so the game is not delayed, Defensive team can engage the team with the puck one all of its players have “tagged up” at center ice and offensive team begins moving puck up the ice.
• There are no overtime periods in round robin play. During Championship games, teams will play a 3-minute overtime. The team that scores the most will be declared the winner. If the score remains tied at the end of the 3 minutes, play will continue unabated and the first team to score wins.