LEAGUE MISSION

The purpose of the League is to provide recreation and enjoyment for is members. Our motto is FUN, FITNESS AND FREIENDSHIP, for all players.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The West Mall Oldtimers Hockey League is committed to providing a sport environment in which all players are treated with respect both on and off the ice. Members of the League shall conduct themselves at all times in a responsible manner and shall refrain from behaviour which is offensive or abusive. In particular, Members of the League shall not engage in activity or behaviour which endangers the safety of others. Failure to comply with this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action, suspension or ejection from the League.

PLAYING RULES

• CSA-approved helmet with chin strap fastened
• Goalies must wear CSA-approved facial protector (not altered in any way)
• Players must wear face shields; half shields must be worn with a mouth guard

Length of Game

All games will have a 3-minute warm-up and two 30-minute running-time periods. The last two minutes of the second period will be stop-time. If the goal spread is 5 or more with 2 minutes remaining in the game, the clock will continue to run.

Playoff Format

At the end of the regular season the teams will play a double round robin. The top two teams at the end of the round robin qualify for the division championship final.

Playoff Standing Tie-Breakers

If two teams are tied after the playoff round, the advancing team will be decided based on the following formula:

1. Team with the best head-to-head record in the playoffs.
2. Team that finished higher in the regular season standings.
3. Team with the least number of penalty minutes.
4. Team with the fewest goals against.
5. Team with the most goals for.

Championship Overtime Format

If teams are tied at the end of regulation play, sudden death overtime will be played to declare a winner. Three 5-minute stop-time overtime periods will be played followed by a shootout. At the end of each period the number of players on the ice will be reduced by one, as follows: Period 3 – 4 on 4; Period 4 – 3 on 3; Period 5 – 2 on 2. Each period will start with a face-off and end with the buzzer. There will be unlimited substitution but all changes must be made on the fly except at the end of each overtime period. In the shoot-out each team must designate a set of 5 players to participate. If the teams are still tied after the first five shooters, a new set of 5 players will be designated. The second round of the shoot-out is sudden death. A player may not shoot a second time until all of the other players have participated.

Except where otherwise noted, the League operates according to the
CARHA Official Rule Book

1. All players must be thirty-five (35) years of age by Dec. 31^st of the playing season.
2. Icing the puck will be called whenever a player shoots the puck from inside his own blue line beyond the goal line of the opposing team. If a player of the opposing team (except the goalkeeper) is able to play the puck before it crosses the goal line, but has not done so, the “icing” call will be waived off.
3. The red-line offside rule will only be called when the player taking the forward pass from a teammate behind his blue line has crossed the centre red line and is clearly behind all of the defending players at the time he touches the puck.
4. If a player uses a slapshot (raises the stick above the knee) play will be stopped and a face-off will occur in the offending team's end of the rink.
5. Contacting the puck with the stick above the shoulders – or attempting to do so – will cause the play to be whistled dead and the face-off to occur in the offending team’s end of the rink.
6. Following a stoppage in play, the referee will blow his whistle to indicate that the puck will be dropped in 5 seconds.
7. A team must have a minimum of seven players (six skaters plus a goalie) available to play by the start of the second period or the game is automatically forfeited.
8. A team is forbidden from borrowing any players from other teams unless they have fewer than the minimum required (7) for the game to be declared official. If additional team members arrive as the game is in progress, thereby fulfilling the required number, the borrowed players must depart the game. During the playoffs no substitutions from other teams are permitted, under any the circumstances.
9. If a goalkeeper is absent from his regular team, a substitute may be used by calling on another goalie within the Division or League. In the event a goalie cannot be found, the Division Convenor will arrange for a goalkeeper from outside the League. During the playoffs, only goalkeepers from within the Division may be used as substitutes. If a goaltender within the Division is not available to play, a substitute may be used from another Division.

• Any director (Chairman)
• Referee-in-Chief or Designate
• Convenor of the Division or Designate where the offender plays.

10. No player, coach or manager may participate in any game if he is under the influence of alcohol.
11. When a player is injured so that he cannot continue play or go to his bench, the play shall be stopped immediately, regardless of which team has possession of the puck.
12. Any suspended player may not participate in on-ice or bench activities with his League team in any way during his suspension.
13. A Minor penalty will be 3 minutes in duration. A Major penalty will be 7 minutes in duration. A Misconduct penalty will be 10 minutes in duration.
14. All incidents of Gross Misconduct will be investigated and documented by the Division Convenor who will then submit a report within one week of the incident to the Discipline Committee for review and further disciplinary action if warranted. The Discipline Committee will submit its finding and recommendation to the League Executive for ratification. Any appeal of disciplinary action must be made by the player in writing to the League President.

PENALTIES

MINOR PENALTIES

1. Any player who is assessed three penalties in one game shall be ruled off the ice for the remainder of the game.

1. Any player who is not wearing a mouth guard with a half-face shield shall be assessed a 10-minute misconduct.
2. Should the helmet of a player come off while play is in progress, that player must put it back on and fasten it before continuing play or must go to the bench for a substitution. If that player continues to play without his helmet he will be assessed a Minor penalty.

2. A double minor will be counted as 2 penalties.
3. A Minor penalty shall be assessed to any player who attempts to impede the progress of an opponent by slashing with his stick, or swings his stick at an opposing player for the purpose of intimidation.
4. Referees are to whistle the play dead immediately when they lose sight of the puck, or when it is held or smothered by the goaltender. A Minor penalty will be assessed if an opposing player slashes or pokes at the goaltender when he has possession of the puck.
5. A minor penalty shall be assessed if any goalie causes a stoppage of play by freezing the puck outside the crease.
6. A bench minor penalty will be called against a team if they suspect that team or a player on that team is deliberately stalling or causing unnecessary delay of the game. If sufficient time is not available to serve the delay of game penalty in its entirety, a penalty shot shall be called in lieu of the minor penalty.
7. A bench minor penalty shall be assessed a team where any player on the bench bangs the boards or ice surface with a stick or any object in protest of an official's ruling. When a player on the ice commits the infraction an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty shall be assessed.
8. A Minor penalty shall be assessed to any player or team official who challenges or disputes the rulings of an official during the game or who displays unsportsmanlike conduct. If the player persists, even after being assessed the Minor penalty, he shall be assessed a Misconduct penalty. A referee is not required to assess a Minor penalty before assessing a Misconduct penalty.
9. A Double Minor penalty or a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the Referee and based on the degree of violence of impact, shall be assessed to any player who intentionally contacts an opponent in the head, face or neck with any part of the player’s body or equipment other than a stick. A Match penalty shall be assessed to any player who deliberately attempts to injure or deliberately injures an opponent under this rule.
10. A Double Minor Penalty will be assessed any player who unintentionally high sticks another player. However, if an injury results, a Major Penalty and Game Misconduct will be assessed and his team must play short-handed for 7 minutes.
11. No profanity will be tolerated on the ice or in the bench area. Such language may incur a Misconduct penalty.
12. At the discretion of the Referee, a Minor or a Major penalty shall be assessed for intentional boarding or body contact, based upon the violence of the impact with the opposing player. When injury results, a Major penalty will be assessed.
13. When the attacking player is skating toward the defending player, the defending player has the right to maintain his position. In this case, the attacking player must avoid body contact. Where, in the opinion of the Referee, accidental contact has taken place, no penalty shall be assessed.
14. If a player leaves the penalty box door open on his way out and the timekeeper is unable to close it, the play will be whistled dead and that player will be required to serve another 3 minutes. However, his team does not have to play shorthanded.

MAJOR PENALTIES

15. Every major penalty carries an automatic Game Misconduct penalty.
16. Any player who strikes a referee during or after a game shall be assessed a Gross Misconduct penalty and indefinite suspension until the case is reviewed by the Discipline Committee.
17. Any player receiving a Major penalty will be automatically suspended for 2 games.
18. Any player receiving a Match penalty will be automatically suspended for 4 games.
19. Any player receiving a Gross Misconduct penalty will be indefinitely suspended until the case is reviewed by the Discipline Committee.
20. A Gross Misconduct will be assessed any player who is involved in an altercation with another player or official off the playing surface.
21. A Gross Misconduct penalty shall be assessed where a person conducts himself in such a manner as to make a travesty of the game.

SUSPENSION GUIDELINES
Game Misconduct	Major Penalty	Match Penalty	Gross Misconduct
A player is ejected for the balance of the game due to misconduct (at the discretion of the official).	A player is ejected from the game; the team must play short-handed for 7 minutes.	A player is ejected from the game; the team must play short-handed for 7 minutes.	A player is ejected from the game for unacceptable on-ice or off-ice conduct.
Disputing call of official Harassment of official Inciting	Charging Boarding Slashing Intentional high-sticking Checking from behind Cross-checking Head contact	Fighting Intent to injure Threatening an official Spearing Butt-ending Slew-foot	Travesty of the game Off-ice altercation
First Offence	2 games	4 games	Indefinite suspension
Second Offence	5 games	6 games
Third Offence	Indefinite suspension	Indefinite suspension*

SUSPENSION APPEALS

1. A Team Manager may appeal a first offence suspension of more than 4 games by filing a written request to the League Convenor within two weeks of the incident.
2. The Convenor will review the request and set up an Appeal hearing with the Disciplinary Committee. The Team Manager who filed the appeal will then have an opportunity to present his case before a final ruling is made.
3. Where an indefinite suspension has been issued, the Disciplinary Committee will organize a review meeting within two weeks of the incident to determine the exact length of the player suspension or the possibility of expulsion from the League.

RULES EMPHASIS

These infractions are to be called with very strict enforcement.

Stick Infractions

The use of the stick will be limited to playing the puck. Sticks are not to be used to cross-check or slash opponents.

• Slashing – Hitting an opponent anywhere on the torso, legs, arms or gloves for purposes of intimidation. Even when a player swings his stick at an opponent and misses a slashing penalty will still be called.
• Slashing the Stick – Excessive use of force to slash an opponent's stick - slashing the stick out of an opponent's hands - or slashing the shaft of an opponent's stick close to the hands - will be penalized.
• Cross-Checking - Using the shaft of the stick to check an opponent at any height. This includes fouls in front of the net for purposes of intimidation.

Hooking and Holding Infractions

The use of the stick or hands to impede the movement or progress of an opposing player.

• Hooking – Use of the stick to tug or hook on to the torso, legs or arms of a player in order to impede progress or cause loss of puck control or balance.
• Holding – Use of a free arm or hand to clutch, grab or otherwise impede the movement of a player, including holding the opponent's stick.

Body Contact Infractions

The intentional (non-accidental) body checking of an opponent.

• Body Contact – Intentional body-checking, bumping or pushing of an opposing player. A player who knocks down another player by not averting contact will also be penalized.
• Boarding – Intentional pushing, shoving or body-checking which causes a player to collide with force into the boards.

Players are expected to conform at all times to the League Code of Conduct. In order to ensure awareness and compliance with the rules governing play, the League maintains a record of accumulated infractions over the course of the regular season. Players who demonstrate a wilful disregard for League rules by repeatedly taking penalties are subject to a series of escalating suspensions ultimately resulting in disciplinary action once the maximum penalty threshold is reached. The threshold limits and suspension policies are outlined below.

Penalty Threshold Levels

Game Threshold*	Total Accumulated Number of Infractions**	League Action
5 games	5 infractions	Team Manager provides warning to player of penalty status
10 games	10 infractions	One game suspension
18 games	14 infractions	Full playoff suspension and League ejection. League Reinstatement subject to Disciplinary Committee review.

* Defined as participation in a specified number of regular season games.

** An infraction is defined as a minor or major penalty.