Rules

Tournament Rules

Columbia Valley Rockies Pond Hockey Championships

Official Rules & Regulations

All Calls Made By The Official are Final
(The officials are supported by the Officiating Committee, who will handle any disputes or issues).

Playing Rules

  • All players must be of legal age in BC - 19.
  • Play is 4-on-4 (no goalies), with a maximum of 8 players per team. Teams change “on the fly”
  • Games start at the sound of the WHISTLE. Any teams late for games will be penalized 1 goal per minute. After 5 minutes, the late team will forfeit the game with a 10-0 score awarded to the opponent. There will be no rescheduled games– all forfeits will stand as a 10-0 win.
  • Goals must be scored from the "attacking" side of the playing surface. NOTE - a line will be marked on the playing surface. Off ice official will be monitoring the line. 
  • Should a puck go outside the designated playing area, the team to last touch the puck will lose possession and upon restart will give the opposing team possession at the spot closest to where the puck left the area of play. Defenders must give the in-bounding team 2 stick lengths to initiate play once again.
  • Raising the puck intentionally above knee-level is prohibited and will result in a loss of possession.
  • Sticks cannot be raised above the knee; contacting the puck with a stick above the knee will result in a loss of possession.
  • NO on-ice referees will be skating 
  • For safety reasons, intoxicated players will not be allowed to play

Equipment - For safety reasons, helmets are mandatory other equipment is optional but STRONGLY recommended. 

Minor Penalties

  • All minor penalties are tracked throughout the game by the official. At the conclusion of Regulation time a goal will be awarded for every minor penalty that has not been cancelled out by a penalty committed (i.e. differential in penalties committed vs. penalties sustained)

  • Minor penalties result in a Change of Possession

  • All standard penalties WILL be called; these include, but are not limited to:

  • Goaltending**
  • Tripping
  • Cross Checking
  • Hooking
  • High Sticking
  • Slashing
  • Elbowing
  • Unsportsmanlike Conduct
  • Roughing
  • Body Checking
  • Interference
  • Swearing

Major Penalties
MAJOR PENALTIES WILL RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE PLAYER EJECTION, these include, but are not limited to:

  • Excessive Body Contact 
  • Verbal abuse of a player, official, volunteer or committee member 
  • Fighting / Intent to Injure 
  • Arguing calls made by the official

The team cannot replace an ejected player with an alternate player.

**Goal Tending Rule:
The Goaltending Rule will be applied when a player is acting as a goaltender instead of a defender. Players may NOT back themselves into & against the net. Players may NOT lay themselves, their stick or their knee across the net in order to prevent a goal. An immediate goal will be awarded if a goal was imminent, or a penalty will be applied.

This is NOT Goal Tending:

This IS Goal Tending - Backed into the net, not actively defending
a player:

Tournament Format

  • Games consist of 2 15-minute halves. An off-ice official and scorekeeper monitor each game.

  • All teams play 4 games in opening round Games start at the sound of the whistle. Any teams late for games will be penalized 1 goal per minute. After 5 minutes, the late team will forfeit the game with a 10-0 score awarded to the opponent.

  • Teams are limited to 8 players with a maximum of 4 players on the ice at one time.

  • Teams may substitute "on the fly". There are no goalies.

  •  Any player ejected from the tournament cannot re-enter the tournament. The team cannot replace an ejected player with an alternate player.

Player Eligibility:
All Players must meet the minimum age requirement for their division as of 31 January 2020

  • Underage Players will be ejected from the Championship, and their team will be unable to play a replacement

  • All players must be recreational athletes – No active professional; junior; or University / College players are eligible for the men’s divisions.
  • No AAA level players are eligible in the women’s division

Tie Breakers for Sundays Final Standings:

  1. Total Points
  2. Head to Head
  3. Fewest Goals Against
  4. Bribe to Rhonda
  5. Coin Toss

Mother Nature Rule

  • Mother Nature Rule - The CV Rockies Pond Hockey 2020 tournament is an all-weather event. By entering this event, you acknowledge that you are playing on an outdoor ice surface, and ice conditions are at the mercy of Mother Nature. ALL teams are expected to play unless the Organizing Committee deems the ice unsafe. The organizing committee reserves the right to alter the schedule at any time, especially if due to weather conditions and unsafe ice surfaces.

 

  • If the event is cancelled due to weather/unsafe ice conditions 10 days or more prior to the tournament, teams will receive a 50% refund of their registration fee along with a guaranteed spot in the 2021 CV Rockies Pond Hockey Tournament. If the event is cancelled less than 10 days prior to the tournament teams will receive a guaranteed spot in the 2021 CV Rockies Pond Hockey Tournament; however, NO refunds will be given (MOTHER NATURE RULE).