Rules
1-2 referees will be assigned to enforce the rules in every game. For anything that is not mentioned, NHL rules apply.
At any given time, any member of the O.C. reserves the right to step in to make a call or to enforce any of the following rules. The O.C. reserves the right to make decisions that can supercede any of the rules below, depending on the circumstances.
All participants bear the responsibility to review all sections of the rules, including Section VI. LEGAL
I. General Rules
I.1. Eligibility to play: a player must have his name on a team's roster at the time of official registration; the roster must have been given approval by the Organizing Committee (O.C.) beforehand.
I.2. Minimum games for playoff eligibility: barring injuries and/or suspensions and/or prior permission, a player must play a minimum of 50% or more of their round-robin games to qualify for the playoffs.
I.3.A. Starting roster: barring any unusual occurrence, a team must have at least 2 players and a goalie ready to play when the referee blows the whistle marking the beginning of the game. Failure to do so results in a 2-minute delay-of-game penalty. If after 2 minutes of play total the team still does not have enough players, the penalty is increased to 1 goal against. If after 3-minutes of play total the team still does not have sufficient players, the match is forfeited with an automatic 6-0 score.
I.3.B. Goalie Injury: In case of an injury to their goalie, the preference is for the team to to put another player on their roster in nets. However, the team may find a comparable replacement from another team (pending approval from the prospective goalie's team and OC).
I.4. Running Time: there will be no stop in running time throughout the tournament, barring major injuries or uncontrollable delay of games as called by the referee and/or Division Manager. The only exception to the running time rule will be championship game(s) in the finals, which will be stop time in its entirety.
I.5. Timeout: a team may choose to use a 20-second timeout in the playoffs only. A timeout can only be called when the play is whistled dead (ie. goalie freezes the ball; ball goes out of play). Following the timeout, the play will resume as if uninterrupted; possession will be with the team that last had the ball prior to the timeout being called.
I.6. Equipment: gloves, eyewear, shinpads, helmets and other appropriate protective gear are strongly recommended. Each player solely bears responsible for their own safety.
I.7. Mercy Rule: 6-goal differential (note: the teams may choose to continue playing for the remainder of the time allotted for the game however statistics do not count).
I.8. Team Colours: a team cannot wear the same or similar colour as their opposing team while playing a game. In case of a colour conflict, the team with the lower colour priority (as indicated on the website) must arrange for a different colour for the game.
I.9. Tiers: in case of a tiered tournament, teams can indicate their preference as to which tier they want to play in however the OC will make the ultimate decision. Barring exceptional circumstances, teams that win in a lower tier must advance to the next tier in whichever tournament they next participate in.
I.10. Injuries: in the unfortunate instance of an injury to a player, barring exception, the injured player must immediately leave the floor or, if necessary, be helped off the floor by teammates and play must continue. Failure to do so can lead to a 1-min Delay of Game penalty for the injured player's team.
I.11.A. Cleanliness: captains are responsible for their teams to abide by the host gymnasium rules and to ensure their respective benches are clean after the game. No food or liquids are allowed inside the gym - spilling any drink inside a gym will result in a delay of game penalty equivalent to the time it requires to clean up.
I.11.B. Following a game, each team is responsible to check and ensure there are no remnants of wet spots (e.g. caused by leaky water bottles) or any other obstruction. This rule applies to goaltenders for their respective crease and surrounding area.
I.12. Spectators: spectators who are not playing and are not tournament officials or commissioned by the tournament for specific tasks are expected to watch from the designated spectators' area to prevent crowding and obstruction in the playing area.
I.13. "Home" advantage: for Tier I regular season matchups, the team with the higher registration priority is considered the HOME team and chooses the side of the gym they wish to play on. In the playoffs, this preference is determined by the higher seed.
II. Penalized Infractions
II.1. Standard hockey physical play is acceptable (minimal body contact, protecting the ball with body, etc.) Focus is to maintain Islamic conduct of good sportsmanship as much as possible and protect oneself and others from injuries.
II.2. All minor penalties will be one minute in length. The amount of time served of each penalty will be exactly one minute of running time except in the following circumstances:
a) A goal is scored by the team having the extra player (ie. the team on the power play). In this case the penalty time expires immediately.
b) Any stoppage in play of more than 5 seconds (ball out of the field of play, shorthanded goal scored, argument with the referee, save made, or any other stoppage). In this case, if the stoppage runs for more than 5 seconds, any extra time that has expired will be added back to the remaining time left in the penalty by the scorekeeper or referee.
c) A penalty is called against either team. In this case, the amount of time that expires between the time the new penalty is called (and the whistle is blown) and the play restarts; will be added back to the remaining time left in the penalty by the scorekeeper or referee.
For longer penalties the same rules a) b) c) apply.
II.3. On a powerplay, the team on the powerplay gets first possession at about the center zone, on the side lines.
II.4. Standard penalty (cross-checking, tripping, interference, hooking, elbowing, etc.): 1-minute penalty. Referee discretion to increase penalty time if deemed deliberate or particularly dangerous.
II.5 Slashing: 1-minute penalty. If blatant, 2-minutes. Referee discretion to increase penalty time if deemed deliberate or particularly dangerous.
II.6. High-sticking: If any contact with the ball, change of possession (opposing team gains control on the side at midpoint of the gym). If any contact is made with a player, a 2-minute penalty will be given.
II.7. Purposely shooting ball out of play: 1-minute delay of game
II.8. Penalty Shots (same rules as shootouts apply - see below)
II.9. Swearing/cursing (on or off the playing surface): penalty shot taken by opposing team (any player on the roster) + warning to offending team. If the shooter does not score on the penalty shot, then 1-minute penalty.
2nd offence during the same game results in a penalty shot + 2-minute penalty + game misconduct.
Division Managers (or any other appointed tournament official) can assist the referee in making this call.
II.10. Tripping on clear breakaway (judgment call of referee): penalty shot
II.11. Closing your hand on the ball in the crease/goalie area:penalty shot
II.12. Purposely throwing your stick to interfere (judgment call of referee): penalty shot
III. Shootout
In the playoffs, games that are tied at the end of regulation time and the overtime period go into a shootout.
III.1. Shoots first: the team that scored the tying goal shoots first.
III.2. Number of shooters: each team chooses 3 shooters - the captain must inform the referees of the order of the shooters.
III.3. Goalie movement: until the player touches the ball, goalies must stay by the net. After he has touched the ball, they are allowed to come out to challenge the shooter as much as they want, if they so wish.
III.4. Sudden death: if it is still a tie after all 3 shooters from each team have shot, there is a sudden death shootout - captains must choose players who haven't shot in this scenario.
III.5. Motion of shooter: a player must stay in motion. He cannot come to a complete stop or move back. He can move sideways. His stick can move back. Violation of any of these descriptions results in play being called dead.
IV. Other Infractions
IV.1. Hand pass: anywhere in the gym results in the opposing team's possession at the center zone
IV.2. Closing your hand on the ball (catching the ball as opposed to batting it down): opposing team's possession at the center zone
IV.3. Out-of-bounds: if the ball goes out-of-bounds, the opposing team to the player who last touched the ball gets the ball. A player cannot directly take a shot on net when he is about to start the play after it has gone out-of-bounds. If a player does, it results in a change of possession.
IV.4.A. Freezing the ball: A goaltender can freeze the ball anywhere except for behind the net. If it is done behind the net, it is a change of possession at center gym.
IV.4.B. After a goaltender freezes the ball, his player has to start behind his goaline and has up to 5 seconds to put the ball in play or shoot or move forward with the ball. During this time, the opposing player must give adequate space and cannot forecheck. If the player moves forward with the ball past the goal line, they can be chased. If the 5-second time limit expires without the ball being put in play, there is a change of possession. The opposing team starts with the ball at about the center zone, on the sidelines. If the opposing player forechecks prior to the 5-second limit expiring, the defensive team will again start with the ball but this time at about the center zone on the side lines.
IV.4.C. When a goaltender freezes the ball, play must start behind the net. If the players elects to shoot, the shot can ONLY be taken at the opposing net from behind the goal line, otherwise it results in a change of possession with the opposing team starting at center (and any goal resulting from the initial play will be disallowed).
IV.5. Foreign material on goaltender equipment or crease: No foreign material is allowed to be applied to goaltender equipment or the crease, including baby powder, oils, boric acid, any liquids, gels or any other material that can cause a dangerous slippery area for players. Infraction of this rule will result in a game misconduct for the goaltender AND a delay of game penalty equivalent to the time required to switch goalies. Repeat offence (lifetime) can lead to forfeit of at least one match.
IV.6. Standings tie-breaker: In case of a tie in the standings, the higher seed will be determined as indicated in the Tournament Format section.
V. Disciplinary Measures
The ultimate objective is to maintain the tradition of providing a fun, competitive, safe, wholesome and entertaining tournament in an atmosphere that promotes Islamic values of good sportsmanship and camaraderie, the O.C. reserves the right to take action against anything that can have an averse effect towards this aim.
V.1. Verbal abuse towards other players, teams or spectators (includes pre, during, or post game): ranges from 1-minute unsportsmanlike misconduct penalty to game misconduct to entry into probation and/or suspensions. Repeated offence can result in a tournament misconduct. Excessive trash talking can lead to penalties, as per referees' discretion.
V.2. Verbal abuse of tournament officials (includes O.C. member, referees, scorekeepers, goal judges): minimum one game suspension with possibility of up to multiple tournament misconduct and more.
V.3. Physical abuse and/or Fighting: automatically result in a Game Misconduct followed by a minimum 2-game suspension. The Instigator of the incident shall receive an additional game suspension (minimum) and his team will need to serve a 1-minute penalty right after the altercation. Any person jumping in as a “third man in” and getting involved in the altercation shall automatically get a Game Misconduct followed by a minimum 3-game suspension. Tournament officials reserve the right to eject a player or his entire team from the tournament due to the severity of the altercation.
V.4. Leaving bench: Trying to stop an altercation does not count as a “third man in”, but during any altercation, teams must remain at their bench and goalies must stay in their crease and players on the floor must move off to the sides of the gym away from the altercation. Any individual that leaves the bench to get involved in an altercation will be treated as a "third man in" (see V.3).
If a team clears the bench, the team will forfeit the match and possibly other matches, regardless of the score. If both teams clear the bench, both will forfeit the match regardless of the score.
V.5. Probation: any type of abuse expressed by players or teams on probation is cause for immediate subject to suspension. All rules are to be applied more stringently on individuals on probation.
V.6. All suspensions are effectively applicable for the first game after the decision is rendered and can lead to an immediate ejection from the tournament and possible suspensions and/or fines for future tournaments for all individuals involved, as per the decision of the O.C.
V.7. The captain and his team bear some responsibility in ensuring that their players conduct themselves in respect of Islamic values of sportsmanship and camaraderie. The O.C. reserves the right to penalize the entire team in the case of any of the above unwanted behaviour.
This also applies to any non-player/spectator who interferes, incites or instigates any of the above unwanted behaviour. The team they are associated with will be penalized.
VI. LEGAL
ALL participants in the tournament consent to the following:
VI.1. Hereby waive, release and forever discharge all present and future actions, suits, demands and other liability that they may have against the organizers of the MMBH tournament and the MMBH Tournament from all liability arising from their participation.
VI.2. Release the organizers of the MMBH Tournament and the MMBH Tournament from any liabilities resulting from injuries or accidents that may have occurred or occur or will occur.
VI.3. Will not hold responsible the organizers of the MMBH Tournament and the MMBH Tournament for any loss of equipment or injuries that may affect the performance of any activities of the participant.
VI.4. Will not hold responsible the organizers of the MMBH Tournament and the MMBH Tournament for any flyers, advertisements, talk, literature, posters, or for the distribution of such, on premises.
Consent for the above is automatically granted by participants when they are registered to play or participate in the MMBH Tournament.