Official PHC Rules

We appreciate you taking the time to read the rules and we look forward to a weekend filled with everyone playing by them!

New England and Lake Champlain - teams play 4v4

1. The winner of a captain's coin toss will determine which goal to defend. Teams will switch goals after first half.

2. All players must wear helmets and hockey skates. Protective equipment is optional but highly recommended.

3. No goalies, goalie equipment or sticks permitted.

4. All teams must have light and dark jerseys or uniforms.

5. All rinks will start and stop on the master horn.

6. Penalties will be called for rule infractions. Penalties called by Rink Monitors are final. A minor penalty will result in possession of the puck awarded to the opposing team. Rink Monitors will have the discretion to also award a goal to the opposing team when a minor penalty is flagrant and/or a team is consistently playing in a reckless manner.

7. Any major penalty, which includes any action that could possibly injure another player, will result in that player being ejected from the tournament. The team that received the ejection will play the remainder of the tournament short-handed (3 vs. 4) or (2 vs. 3). Rink official will determine major penalties.

8. Abuse of Rink Monitors will be considered a major penalty. This includes yelling, swearing, or arguing about calls.

9. No checking is allowed. Such action will result in a minor penalty unless deemed serious enough to be a major (Rink Monitor discretion).

10. No slapshots allowed. Such action will result in a minor penalty.

11. Players cannot fall or lay on the ice in an effort to protect the goal area. Such action will result in a minor penalty.

12. Goaltending is not allowed. A player may not patrol, "camp out" or remain stationary in the crease area and act as a goaltender. A defender may deflect the puck in the crease area, but the defender must do so while continuing to move through the crease area. The crease area is defined as an imaginary box extending out four feet from the outside corners of the goal.

13. Contacting the puck with a stick above the waist will result in a loss of possession.

14. Saucer passes (i.e. pucks that are lifted low, below the knee) are acceptable.

15. 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.

16. There are no off-sides or icing calls.

17. Setting picks in offensive zone is not allowed. Deference will be given to a defender in front of their own net where their progress is impeded by the pick or interference of an offensive player. Goals must be scored from the attacking side of center ice.

18. Rink Monitors will call out the score after each goal. This includes goals scored by players or awarded from minor penalties. (There is one rink monitor and many players, helping the rink monitor is encouraged)

19. Teams must give their opponents 1/2 ice after a goal is scored or an infraction takes place.

20. Games will be composed of two 15-minute halves with a 2-minute halftime for the New England and Lake Champlain tourneys

21. Pool Play games can end in a tie. However if playoff games end in a tie, the play will move to sudden death format

22. All games are running-time and substitutions can be made during play ("on-the-fly") or while a puck is being retrieved. There is no stoppage of play after a goal is scored, or after a penalty is awarded. It is up to each team to ensure that there are only four players on the ice.

23. Players can only play on one team.

24. Substitutions must be made by 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the tournament. No other substitutions throughout the tournament are allowed. The four to eight players that are on your roster (depending on division) at 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the event must be the same players that play on your team throughout the tournament.

25. Games start and stop on the master horn, for every minute a team is late they will be penalized a goal.

26. In the event of a forfeit during pool play of any division, the team who did not forfeit will receive a win and, for tie breaker purposes, will be assigned a goals for and goals against total for that game equal to the averages of their other pool play games. These will be assigned at the conclusion of the pool play round when advancement is being determined.

27. It is the responsibility of the team captain to ensure the correct game score has been logged on the scorecard. By signing the scorecard at the conclusion of the game, your team captain is acknowledging that they agree with the final score. Teams cannot contest scores/results after they have signed the scorecard.