LEAGUE RULES

LEAGUE RULES

Know the rules. Play hard. Hockey happens, but keep the nonsense to a reasonable level.

The Tulsa Adult Hockey League follows USA Hockey rules along with additional league-specific regulations. Select a topic below to review the rules covering player eligibility, team rosters, game procedures, and league conduct.

Whether you’re a seasoned captain or new to the league, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the rules. Knowing them ahead of time makes everyone’s experience better.

All games are NO checking.

Each game consists of 3 periods of 15 minute stop clock.

  • There is a curfew clock of 75 minutes and starts with warmups. The game will end regardless of regulation time or score at the end of 75 minutes.
    • If the curfew clock ends during a shootout when one team has shot more than the other then the referee will allow the other team to shoot once more so that both teams had the same number of shooters.
    • Mercy Rule. The third period will be run clock if a team is ahead or becomes ahead by at least 6 goals.
      • If the score changes to within 2 goals then the game will return to stop clock.
    • Icing – Division 4, Division 5, and Women’s division will use blue line icing.
    • Each team will have 1 timeout during each game.
  • Season Points for Standings
    • Win = 2 points
    • Lose = 0 points
    • OT Lose = 1 point
    • Standings Tie Breakers:
      • First – Points
      • Second – Wins
      • Third – Goal Differential
      • Fourth – Head to Head
      • Fifth – Goals For
      • Sixth – Penalty Minutes
  • Regular Season Game: If the game ends in a tie, then the game will conduct a three-person shootout, with the home team having the option to go first or last. If it is still a tie after the shootout, then the game ends in a tie.
  • Playoffs: If the game ends in a tie, a 5 minute 4 vs 4 OT will take place. If the game is still tied after OT, then the game will conduct a three person shootout, with home having the option to go first or last. If the game is still tied after the three person shootout, then the game turns into a sudden death shootout, meaning 1 for 1 until a winner is reached. All players must rotate through before a player is allowed to shoot again.
  • Players that have not finished serving a penalty at the end of regulation or OT are not eligible for a shootout.
  • Players must be 18 years old, be out of high school, and be out of all youth hockey programs to play.
  • To sign up for the league, start by following the instructions on the New Player page on our site. Once you are given a provisional player ranking you will be given a link to sign up onto the league’s Free Agent list. This will let captains know you are available and an eligible player.
  • Full payment expected by due date. All games forfeit until the remainder is paid in full or other arrangements have been made.
  • The league will not assume that teams will participate in the upcoming season. All teams must contact the league administration by the deposit due date to inform the league that the team will participate in the next season, and to clarify what division they will participate in.
  • Full payment is expected by the final due date. If partial payment has been received, and no arrangements have been made the team will be scheduled but may forfeit until full payment has been received.

You can find more info on how to register a team at the Captain’s Corner.

Rosters with paid only players and goalie must be turned in and approved before the first game of the season. If your team is incomplete you will need to turn in what you have. Additional players can be approved and added later in the season. Teams will not be allowed to change divisions if the schedule has been made. Please make sure your players are appropriate for the division you sign up for. Teams will be responsible to find eligible players to fill their team. Teams without an approved roster will still be scheduled but will forfeit games until a roster is received and approved.

  • During the regular season, any paid player that is listed on a team roster is eligible to be a substitute player for the divisions they are ranked for.
  • Players that are not a paid member of a team can register as a Free Agent to become eligible to sub for the divisions they are ranked for.

Most ineligible players should be caught during the check in process. It is not the referee’s responsibility to police ineligible players. Consequences for ineligible players can happen after the game even if the referee continued the game. The League may, however, declare a game a forfeit if it is found a team is avoiding the rules of the league and/or USA Hockey.

Examples of an illegal or ineligible player are (but not limited to):

  • Any player who does not have complete paperwork on file with the league, plays or appears on the ice.
    • A suspended player dresses while under suspension
    • A player that participates in a division they are not ranked for.

In cases where a player’s identity is in question, the protesting team has the right to require that said player produce a valid photo I.D. Any player unable to produce valid I.D. will automatically be declared illegal, unless a league or game official is present who can vouch for his identity. In the absence of any such verification, a forfeit declared in favor of the protesting team may occur after the game.

  • An ineligible player may result in a game suspension for both the captain and ineligible player.

Substitute players for playoffs and finals must meet two conditions

  • They must have played at least two regular season games for said team

  • They must not be rostered on a team that participated in the same round of playoffs. For example, if their team made playoffs and loses then the players are not eligible to sub until the following round

Each team must turn in a hard copy of their game day roster into the scorekeeper. All players must be current USA Hockey members. All players on a team must have unique jersey numbers. If no hard copy of the roster is turned in the team will not be able to be checked in which defaults to a forfeit. Hardcopies can be picked up at the front desk, or can be printed from the captain’s Time to Score Portal.

  • Jerseys: Each team must have two different jerseys
    • Home is always light
    • Away is always dark
    • All jerseys must be the same main color jersey
    • All jerseys must have a unique jersey number

Not following these rules may result in a player being asked to change jerseys or leave the ice.

Player Ranking – Each player is ranked and based on their overall skill. This includes but is not limited to skating ability, stick handling, Hockey IQ, experience, temperament, and potential.  Descriptions for player rankings are available in the LEAGUE OVERVIEW section of the site. The descriptions serve as a guide. Ultimately, player rankings are decided on by league administration.  

  • If a player receives a suspension on one of their teams, they will sit the required number of games for that team. If that player plays on multiple teams, they cannot play for the other teams while they are on suspension. Ineligible players caught playing will sit for one game after they become eligible to play using the team they were playing for as a proxy team.
  • All suspended players will have to meet in person with league administration. They cannot return the ice until they have served their suspension and have meet with league admin.
  • The referee shall call the game and go through the process of USA Hockey rule book for all penalties. However, if an incident needs to be reviewed the league administration will review it to see if additional consequences are needed.
  • If a player participates in a game while they are on suspension, the game will be deemed a forfeit. It is the captain’s job to make sure all players are eligible.
  • Suspended players may not be on a team’s bench during games.
  • Off-ice incidents at the rink may include game suspensions. Any confrontation in shared bathrooms will be grounds for immediate indefinite suspension.
  • Progressive Game Misconducts – Players will receive additional Game Misconducts based on the number of Game Misconducts they receive during a season, regardless of the team they were playing for when earned.
    • First GM in a game = Player will sit for 1 game
    • Second GM in a season = Player sits for 2 games
    • Third GM in a season = Player is suspended for the season
  • Players that receive multiple suspensions or match penalties may receive additional suspensions or be suspended indefinitely.
  • No player is allowed to step onto the ice while the Zamboni is still on the ice. Once the zam doors are closed, players may step onto the ice. If a player is on the ice while the zam doors are still open, a 2 minute minor will be issued prior to the puck drop.
  • At the end of warm-up. Pucks are to be picked up and placed in the bucket or on the rail near the penalty box. If a puck is shot onto the bench or penalty box, a 2 minute minor penalty will be issued prior to puck drop.
  • Only a team’s rostered player can join a game after the 2nd period has started. They must check-in with the scorekeeper before playing.
  • High Stick causing bleeding or injury will result in an automatic 5 minute major and a game misconduct. The referee may use their discretion on this call if needed.
  • If a goalie’s injury is a result of a penalty from an opposing player, the opposing player’s team will forfeit the game.
  • If there are issues on the ice that are happening and your team feels they are not being addressed in the game, the captain needs to approach the referee in between periods. The captain needs to be the one communicating to the refs about issues on the ice but need to do it in a professional manner and appropriate time. If the captain feels it wasn’t addressed, then the captain needs to contact the league’s administration.
  • There is zero tolerance for abuse of an official. This includes referees and scorekeepers.
  • If a referee determines that a player is intoxicated, the referee will remove the player from the game if they feel they are a potential harm to others safety for this reason. If a player refuses to leave, their team will forfeit and NO game will be played during that ice time.
  • Only actively participating eligible players or rostered coaches are allowed on a team’s bench. Rostered coaches must be entered in Time to Score with a current USA Hockey membership.
  • If there is an altercation on the ice, leave it on the ice.