Northern Hockey League Rules
General Information: The Northern Hockey League is an adult league, designed for players eighteen (18) years of age and older. Body contact (checking) and slapshots are prohibited.
Equipment: To participate in the Northern Hockey League it is required that all players wear a helmet. Northern Hockey League official strongly suggest all players wear basic hockey equipment including lower and upper body protection as well as a face mask or visor. However particular arenas may require any or all of the suggested equipment.
Game Time: All games will consist of three (3), 15 minute running time periods. The only clock stoppages will be:
-if the puck comes in contact with a high stick (including slapshots)
-if the puck goes out of play (ex. hitting an obstruction or going out of the confines of the ice
-in the last two (2) minutes of the game if the score is within two (2) goals
At the beginning of each game, 3:00 minutes will be placed on the clock as the "warm-up" session. At the end of the "warm-up", 15:00 minutes will be placed on the clock and the clock shall start. If one team has at least three (3) players on the ice and the opposing team does not have at least three (3) players to begin the game, then a goal is awarded to the team who has at least three (3) players ready for competition after every three (3) minutes based on the game clock. Goaltenders count as one player. Officials are REQUIRED to be on the ice at the specific ice times for games to ensure this is followed.
Roster and Roster Deadline: A 21 man roster, including goalie(s), is required by the Northern Hockey League. Substitute players, not on the rosters, are not allowed to participate in the Northern Hockey League. Any player who is on any other roster at any level (ex. Junior, NCAA, Professional, etc.) is not allowed to participate in the Northern Hockey League. However, in the event that one team is missing their goal tender and both teams agree upon allowing a goaltender to play prior to the start of the game that is acceptable. Rosters are required to be turned in to the Northern Hockey League Commissioner no later than the date presented by the League Commissioner. No substations will be allowed thereafter, unless a team's rostered goaltender is unavailable for a regular season game.
Penalties: If a penalty is assessed to the offending team, a full 2 minutes must be served by the offending team, regardless of the number of goals scored by the team on the man up situation. If a delayed penalty is called and a goal is scored by the non-assessed team, then the penalized team must still complete a full 2 minute man down penalty as described above.
Fighting: Fighting is prohibited in the Northern Hockey league. If a fight occurs then the penalty is as follows:
- After one fight: game disqualification as the result of a fighting major and a two (2) game suspensions.
- After a second fight: game disqualification as the result of a fighting major and four (4) game suspensions.
- After a third fight: game disqualification as the result of a fighting major and automatic suspension from the league for the remainder of the season.
The Northern Hockey League has a zero tolerance policy concerning abuse of officials. If a player is ejected from a game as the result of the abuse of a game official, said player will hereby serve an automatic two (2) game suspension and will be placed on suspension for the remainder of the season.
Other:
- 3 line icing: The puck must cross all three (3) lines to be called as icing.(Both blue lines and center ice line)
- The schedule has been established and no games will be rescheduled unless there are extenuating circumstances (ex.weather, arena shut downs, final exams etc). NOTICE: Not having enough players does not fall into this catergory. In the event a team cancels, two (2) points will be awarded to the opposing team.
No show/forfeit: If a team does not show up for a game and has not made arrangements with the opposing team prior to the game, they will be forced to pay for the ice and officials. After three (3) instances, in one season, the team will be removed from the Northern Hockey League for the remainder of the season and the team reps will vote on whether they are allowed to return. All games will be played in a timely manner. Make-up games will be completed by the last week of the regular season. Having games count more than once is prohibited.
The League Commissioner reserves the right to suspend and/or banish player(s) whose conduct is deemed as inappropriate to the philosophy of good sportsmanship in the Northern Adult Hockey League. This decision is final and not subject to any appeal process.
