FLOOR HOCKEY RULES (Revised 10-15-08)
*All Captains are responsible for their team members seeing and understanding the rules.

Click Here to download these rules.

TEAMS:
Teams consist of five (5) players on the floor at one time, four (4) players and a goalie.
There must be 2 females per team on the floor at all times.
A minimum of 4 players is required to start and continue a game. (In this case teams may play with 3 males and 1 female.)
All players MUST wear a shirt of their team’s color or the entire team will be required to wear the provided pinnies.
A player must play in 2 regular season games in order to be eligible for the playoffs.
Teams may only have 10 players maximum on their roster EACH NIGHT. Once you have signed a team’s roster, you are officially on that team and may not play for another. The only exception to this rule is if a team is short handed and both captains have agreed to any subs. Once a team has a full team of five players (2 female), subs are no longer allowed to play.

EQUIPMENT:
We will provide sticks, nets, pucks, and goalie masks (goalies are required to wear these.) All players are required to use the provided sticks.
Players may wear gloves/mittens for hand protection. We suggest each goalie bring a baseball glove to wear. Also, players are allowed to bring soft kneepads, shin guards, masks, etc., but not full goalie attire (blockers, leg pads, etc.) The goals are small and these would take up a lot of it. ADVANCE \d4

GAME TIME:
Each game will consist of 3 periods (12 minute running clock).
A two-minute interval will separate each period. In the last two (2) minutes of the third period, the time will be stopped for penalties, face-offs, or when the puck goes out of play unless there is more than a two (2) goal difference.
Each team will be allowed one (1) time-out per game, one (1) minute in duration. A team may call a time-out while in possession of the puck, or at a stoppage of play.
An official time out may be called for an injured player or for other circumstances deemed appropriate by the officials.
If a regular season game is tied at the end of regulation it will be scored as a tie. A playoff game that is tied at the end of regulation will result in a 5 minute overtime period and if the result is still a tie a shoot out will be used to determine a winner. In a shootout each team’s captain will select 1 female and 2 male players to participate. The teams will alternate shots and the team that scores the most goals after each of these players shoot once will be the winner. If the score remains tied shooting will continue with each team moving through it’s roster alternating female/male until one team has a lead (an equal number of shots must be taken.)
A game will be forfeited if team does not have enough players by 10 minutes after start time. This will result in their opponents winning 2-0.

PLAYING THE GAME:
A face-off is used: to begin each period, after each goal, or if the puck is tied up in the corner or along the walls. If the puck gets tied up, the face off will occur on whichever end this happens on. Sticks must be on the floor for a face-off and the puck will be dropped between the sticks or it will be redropped. The puck must hit the floor before either team touches the puck, and a player is not allowed to step over the puck and kick it or there will also be a redrop.
Play is started with an indirect free hit after a team time-out by the team taking the time-out. An INDIRECT FREE HIT is an uncontested pass taken by a player with all players at least ten (10) feet away in all directions. The shooter may touch the puck only once. A goal cannot be scored off an indirect shot until touched by another player other than the goalie.
Offside will only apply to face-offs. All players must be on their defensive side during the face-off.
Absolutely no body checking or unnecessary contact will be tolerated.
If the puck goes out of the playing area, the team that didn’t hit it out gets an indirect free hit. Basketball hoops and other hanging items are considered out of play.
A hand may be used to catch or touch an airborne puck. The puck must be dropped immediately within the radius of the catching player’s stick.
It is illegal to hold the stick or raise the blade of the stick above the waist at any time. It is a penalty for the other person if someone else lifts your stick about waist height.
No slap shots. A slap shot is defined as bringing the stick to waist level or higher and swinging at the puck to hit it. Any stick above the waist is high sticking.
A goalie may catch the puck in their glove, but must put it in play within three (3) seconds (one thousand one, etc.) or a face-off takes place on his or her end of the floor. If a goalie is lying on the puck or has the puck covered and is in danger, the whistle will be blown immediately.
Goalies, when clearing the puck, may not throw it above waist height, or throw it past the centerline. However, goalies may shoot it with their stick.
Substitutions can be made at any time. When the puck is alive a player can only enter the court when the other player is completely off the court. Players not in the game will remain off the court. Substitutions can be made in each team’s doorway. This applies to goalies as well.
Players may not contact a goalie and/or stand in the goalie’s area. A penalty will be called.

SCORING:
A goal is scored when the puck passes completely across the plane of the goal line.
2. Goals may not be scored from behind the centerline.
Goals will not count if a stick blade is above the waist level, kicked in, or the puck is batted by hand.
Shots that bounce off a player’s body and into the net will be counted if the contact with the person is accidental (official's judgment).

CONDUCT AND PENALTIES:
All participants must sign the form provided at the gym saying they read and understand the rules before they are allowed to play.
Participants must accept all decisions made by the officials. Captains are the only ones allowed to discuss disagreements with officials and must do so in a civilized manner! If there is still a disagreement the captains may request that the officials look at the rules. Their decision is final.
Participants must behave respectfully and courteously towards other players, officials, spectators, and equipment. No profanity or vulgar language please. Any violation of these rules will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
An official may remove any player from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct or unnecessary roughness. Any ejected player will sit out the next game and must meet with the sports ministry team before they are allowed to play in any further games.
Refs will be using a card system for penalties this year.

Yellow card (first offense) = Indirect free hit
Red card (second offense or blatant first offense) = Penalty shot
Any other offense results in ejection

The following penalties will result in an indirect free hit for the other team:
- Delay of Game (As soon as the ref is ready, he will wait 5 seconds and then drop the puck or call delay of game.)
- Offside on face-off
- Goalie throws the puck above waist or past centerline.

The following penalties will use the card system:

Yellow card penalties:
- High Sticking/Slap shot
- Contact or interference with the Goalie
- Interference (inhibiting the progress of an opponent with is not in possession of the puck, intentionally knocking the stick out of the opponent's hand, or preventing a player from regaining possession of a dropped stick)
- Holding
- Unintentional roughing (player out of control on the court resulting in contact)

Red Card penalties:
- Tripping
- Elbowing
- Profanity
- Throwing a stick
- Intentional moving of the net

The following result in ejection from the game:
- Excessive profanity
- Abuse of equipment or facility
- Rough or abusive play
- Fighting
- Checking
- Verbal abuse
- Unsportsmanlike conduct in the opinion of the official

PENALTY SHOT:
A penalty shot will be awarded to a player who, in the official's judgment had a clear opportunity to shoot on goal and was prevented from doing so by an opponent tripping, holding, etc. A goal will be awarded if a player stops a clear opportunity to score a goal by throwing their stick, moving the net, etc.
A penalty shot will also be taken if a red card is issued.
All players except the goalie and player attempting the shot will move to the opposite half of the floor.
The player who had the foul committed against them will attempt the shot. If the foul wasn’t against a particular player, anyone may take the shot. They get the puck at half court and may attempt one shot from anywhere on that half of the court.
Play will resume with a face-off at center ice.

OFFICIALS:
The Sports Ministry team will provide Officials for each game.
The score/stat keeper will act as a 3rd official if available.

PLAYOFFS:
Seeding will be determined in the following order.
- Season point total (2 points awarded for a win, 1 for a tie)
- Head to Head Record
- Goals against (least)
- Coin toss

RULE CHANGES:
Any rule changes will be discussed and voted on by the captains.