League Descriptions
- B: This league is for experienced players who have played organized hockey before. Full gear (chest protector & ice hockey pants) is required. The game style is very fast paced and the skating and hockey skill levels of individual players are quite high. B games are more physical than the lower leagues in respect to players will use their body to push each other when fighting for better positions. This “pushing” is the more physical play style and typically not worthy of penalties. This is a non-checking league for the safety of everyone involved. Slap shots are allowed. Playoffs will occur at the end of the season.
- C: C league is for teams who have experienced and novice players but are not quite at the B level. Teams are strong teams, generally where the weakest link is defined not in terms of basic accrued skills but natural talent, and/or teams’ implementation of strategy, teamwork, and other higher level necessities. Full gear (chest protector & ice hockey pants) is not required, but is strongly recommended. Players are much better skaters here than D+. Most players can skate backwards. Players can stick handle the puck around opposing players. The speed of the game is much faster than D+ league and you begin to see more organized playing style. Players more often stick to their positions and can maintain a man-to-man defense as the players shift around the ice. Playoffs will occur at the end of the season. This is a non-checking league for the safety of everyone involved. Wrist shots are allowed but no slap shots. Slap shots are defined as a shot where the stick exceeds waist level on the backswing and follow through.
- D+: Good skaters, decent puck handling, some team play and some accurate shooting are common. Players in this league can skate around without much risk of falling, though accidental collisions between players do sometimes occur. Their corresponding hockey skills are better than in D league but the majority of skaters would not be able to skate the rink from end-to-end without losing the puck. It is helpful to have a couple players on each team who have played before so that they can help teach the new players the rules/positions/etc. D+ league is meant to bridge the gap between D and C leagues. This is a non-checking league for the safety of everyone involved. Wrist shots are allowed but no slap shots.
- D: This is a “no previous experience required” league. Players are novice skaters and novice at playing hockey. It is helpful to have a couple players on each team who have played before so that they can help teach the new players the rules/positions/etc. This is a non-checking league for the safety of everyone involved. Wrist shots are allowed but no slap shots.
Number of Players
- All players must register on IMLeagues.com before playing in a game.
- Each team normally consists of 3 skaters and a goalie. A team must have a minimum of 3 players to start the game
- Only one goalie per game is required as games will be played half ice using one net
Uniforms / Equipment
- Teams should come with 2 sets of shirts; a white/light set and a dark set.
- IM staff does not provide any hockey equipment for Intramurals.
- All players are expected to bring their own equipment as outlined by league below
- All participants must wear a helmet to participate regardless of league!!
- Full gear (including helmet with a full-face mask and chin strap, chest protectors, shin guards, gloves, and ice hockey pants) is required for B leagues and strongly recommended for C League. In leagues other than B and C, protective equipment is optional although highly suggested.
- Should a player’s helmet come off during play, the play is dead and the face-off will be dropped in the zone where the puck is at the time the player’s helmet was lost.
- All goalies must wear complete goalie equipment.
- You must bring your own stick and ice skates.
Roster Restrictions
- Each league is geared toward a specific skill set. If players from a higher league choose to play in a lower league, they will be expected to assist in teaching the sport and play at the lower skill level. No more than 1 player from a higher league can be on the ice at a time. If a player is found to be vastly over skilled for the league (usually only pertaining to D/D+), it is at the referee(s) discretion whether to restrict the player or ask the person not to play.
Roster Changes
- A player shall be ineligible to compete for a team unless they are currently on the roster for that team. If a person plays for a team for which they are ineligible, the Manager has the right to suspend the player for the remainder of the sport season, from all teams in that sport.
- Rosters can be changed through IMLeagues only before the playoff schedule is released.
Duration of Games
- Games will last for approximately one hour and will consist of three twelve-minute periods with a two-minute intermission between each period. The clock will continuously run.
- Last game(s) of the night-must be off ice prior to 11:00pm and exit the building when the building closes.
Setup and Gameplay
- All games will be played on Johnson Ice Rink. The games will be played on one half of the ice using one goal and goalie
- Goalies – All teams are expected to have a goalie who is REQUIRED to have full pads and gear
- For 3v3, both teams should agree on a single goalie representative and play a ‘half-court’ style where both teams shoot on the one goalie and reset after changes of possession
- To reset a player should skate or pass the puck outside to the neutral zone area between the half way line and the blue line
- If neither team has a FULLY PADDED GOALIE, teams are welcome to agree to a solution on there own.
- One recommended solution is to turn the goal on its frame so the bottom opening becomes the new goal mouth.
- Teams can then play with a shorter and smaller goal without goalies
- All captains/teams are encouraged to work out the best solutions for the teams they are able to put on the ice keeping in mind the safety of all players involved
*SEE SPORT SPECIFIC RULES SECTION BELOW
Tie Games
- Regular season games that end in a tie shall remain a tie.
- Playoff games that end in a tie will be broken by three alternating penalty shots taken by three different players from each team. If it is tied after the penalty shots, the two teams will choose different players, and will shoot by alternating teams until one misses and the other scores. Each team will receive the same amount of shots on goal.
Time Outs
- Each team will be granted one time-out per game of two minutes. Time outs must be called during a stoppage of play and must be called by a player on the ice at the time.
Sport Specific Rules
- Playing the Body: Players must play the puck at all times. THIS IS A NO CONTACT LEAGUE. Any player checking another player will be penalized.
- No Slap shots: A shot where the stick exceeds waist level on the backswing and follow through.
- Advancing the Puck: The puck may be advanced by the blade of the stick or by kicking the puck. However, no goal may be scored by kicking the puck directly into the opponent’s net. Players may not bat or throw the puck at any time.
- Clear Line to Change Possession: The blue line will be the clear line meaning the offense remains the attacking team and in possession of the puck unless the puck is cleared past the blue line then it is live to be possessed by any team that brings it back into play.
- All-Time Goalie: Since there is only one goal there is only one goalie who will be playing all time defense.
Goalie Rights & Responsibilities
- Stopping the puck: The goalie may use any means possible to stop the puck with their body, glove, or stick. This includes leaving their feet to play a puck. The goalie may not throw his or her stick in an attempt to stop the puck.
- Dislodged Net: In the case that the net becomes dislodged, but is not involved in the ensuing play, the team shall stop play to replace the net. If it is dislodged and is in the play, the play is dead and a face-off will restart play at the nearest face-off dot. An intentionally dislodged net will result in a penalty, or a penalty shot.
Fouls & Penalties
- Minor Penalties
- 2 minutes long
- Delay of game
Roughing
Refusal to start play
Holding Elbowing
Illegal equipment
Illegal substitution
Charging
Playing with two sticks
Interference
Tripping
Illegal face-off (after warning)
- High Stick– Stick coming above the waist with an opponent within 3 feet, including the wind up and follow through of the shot.
- Hand pass: defined as passing the puck directly to a teammate with your hand while not in your defensive zone. Catching an airborne puck is considered legal provided the player drops the puck in a straight line down to the floor to his or her stick.
- Kicking the puck: The puck may be played with the foot to another player.
- Minor penalties shall consist of 2 minutes in the penalty box. Should a goal be scored by the opposing team during that time, and there is a man-advantage, the penalty will be canceled.
- Should an individual commit three minor penalties in a particular game, the third penalty becomes a major penalty (5 minutes). The fourth results in an ejection.
- Major Penalties
- 5 minutes long
- Unsportsmanlike conduct
- Slashing
- Major penalties shall consist of 5 minutes in the penalty box. The player in the box SHALL STAY IN THE BOX for the whole 5 minutes. After 2 minutes, the man advantage will end. Should the opposing team score a goal during the first 2 minutes, the offending team shall remain short-handed; the penalty will not be off set.
- Misconduct/Ejectionable/Future Play Eligibility – player will have to meet with the Sport Manager and the Manager of Intramurals to determine when or whether s/he/ they will be deemed eligible to play again.
- Hitting from behind
- Boarding
- Fighting
- Should the referee/captain(s) deem the game to be unruly or the actions of any player to be unacceptably dangerous, they reserve the right to terminate the game play immediately. In doing so, play must cease and the referee must follow up with an immediate report to the sport manager and to the IM Executive Board so as to enable corrective and punitive action to take place.
