BC Hockey Rules

Playing Area

• BC Hockey League games are played on an ice surface, inside of an arena. The ice surface is always 200-feet long and between 85 and 100-feet wide, with rounded corners. The playing area must be enclosed with white boards and no advertising can obstruct ice markings.

  The ice is lined and divided into three main zones. The neural zone is the center of the ice which is marked by a center-red-line. The defending zone is marked by a blue-line. Inside the defensive zone is the defending team’s goal. The attacking zone is the area in-front of the blue-line that the offensive team crosses to enter the opposing team’s defensive zone.

  The goal line is the last line at each end of the ice surface. This is where the net’s posts sit and it is the line the puck must cross to be considered a goal.

  The goal crease is marked by a semi-circle around the net and goal-line. The center ice circle is marked by a blue circle, as well as red-spots or dots that are located in all ice zones. These are areas where teams line up for face-offs.

Teams

• Every hockey game has two teams and each team has its respective bench. Each team is allowed to play six players on the ice: goalie, left defense, right defense, center, right wing and left wing. Every player on the team must to wear a numbered jersey with the team’s colors.

  A team can choose to “pull” its goalie, and add an extra forward or defense player to try to score a goal, but the player will not have goalie privileges.

  Teams have to submit a roster to officials before the game. No suspended players are allowed to take part in pre-game warm-ups or be on the players’ bench.

  Teams designate their captains with a “C” and assistant captains with an “A”. These players are allowed to convene with referees about game concerns.

Equipment

• Every player must wear equipment that follows the league’s guidelines and regulations. Gloves, skates, helmets, sticks, goalie equipment, pads and gloves, all have measurement requirements in order to standardize equipment used around the league.

  If a team suspects illegal equipment is being used it can request a measurement be taken by the referee. If the equipment is found to be illegal the guilty team will be given a penalty, but if the equipment is legal the team asking for the measurement will be assessed a bench minor penalty.

  All players must wear helmets.

Penalties

• A variety of penalties can occur in a hockey game. These include: minor penalties, bench minors, major penalties, misconducts, game ejections, game misconducts, gross misconducts, match penalties, and penalty shots.

  During penalties the charged player must go to the penalty box, unless it’s the goalie. Another player can serve a penalty for the goalie. Minor penalties last for two minutes and give the opposite team a man-advantage power-play. Other penalties, like a fighting major can last five minutes, or a misconduct penalty can result in game ejection or 10 minutes in the box. Gross misconducts or match penalties result in suspensions and league reviews.

Physical Fouls

• Players who attempt to injure or deliberately injure another player get match penalties. It is up to the official whether a penalty is deliberate. Minor penalties are given for boarding, checking from behind, fighting, kneeing, elbowing, charging, checking to the head, and roughing.

Stick Fouls

• Stick fouls are given to players using their stick illegally and can result in minor, major or match penalties. Players will be penalized for cross-checking, high-sticking, slashing, butt-ending, and spearing.

Restraining Fouls

• Restraining fouls are given to players who impede or hold a player with their hands, stick or any manner to gain an advantage. Minor and misconduct penalties are given for hooking, holding, interference, goaltender interference, and tripping,

Other Fouls

• Other fouls that can be handed out in a hockey game include handling the puck, unsportsmanlike conduct, diving, using a kick shot, leaving the penalty box or players’ bench illegally, spitting, harassing officials, throwing sticks or objects, delay of game, and falling on the puck.

The Game

• The BC Hockey League plays games with three, 20-minute periods. Linesmen are used to call off-sides, icing, and out-of-bounds pucks and referees are used to call penalties and goals. Each stoppage of play will be restarted with a face-off. If the game is tied after 60 minutes, 10 minutes of sudden death overtime is played. Depending on age group, tied games may be decided by a shootout.