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Subscribe to our NewsletterBMHL Rules 2023/24 (Subject for Review)
The following will be the guidelines for the 2023/24 BMHL Season.
No fighting is allowed
No slap shots are allowed
No body checking is allowed
Penalty Section:
Any stick raised above the players armpits in an attempt to knock/tip the puck down (whether the stick contacts the puck or not) will be a 3-minute penalty.
If a players stick makes contact with another player’s head, face or neck will be assessed a 5-minute major penalty whether there is blood or not. The entire 5 minutes penalty will be served no matter how many goals are scored on the powerplay.
If a player has 3 infractions or a penalty total over 9 minutes, it will result in the player being ejected.
Minor Penalty (3 minutes) counts as 1 infraction
Major Penalty (5 minutes) counts as 1 infraction
In a game where the clock is being stopped (within 2 goals in the last 2 minutes or overtime) these penalties are 2 minutes for minors and (NEW) 3 minutes for majors.
If a player receives a 10-minute misconduct penalty, they will automatically be ejected from the game and the executive board will review the incident.
The “Nuisance Rule” allows the referee to either give a player a 3-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct or remove the player from the game. The league will keep track of nuisance penalties. If a player receives 2 in a season, they will be suspended 1 game. If a player receives 2 more nuisance penalties after that it will be a 2-game suspension, 2 more and it will be 3 games and could lead to permanent removal from the league.
*It’s the referee’s discretion whether a major penalty is an attempt to injure or not.
An attempt to injure can be any of the following, body checking, punching another player, slashing, cross checking, high sticking, spearing, butt ending, slew footing, shooting the puck purposely at another player.
Faceoffs will take place in the offensive zone after a penalty is called.
Penalized players cannot leave the penalty box until the puck is dropped if their penalty time runs out after a stoppage.
There is no red line and icings will only be called if player shoots the puck down the ice without making contact with the opposing team from behind the defensive blueline.
The regular season and all playoffs game are played under run time unless the score is within 2 goals in the last 2 minutes of the game or when the teams are playing in overtime.
Overtime Rules: Regular Season
In the regular season if a game is tied after 3 periods the teams will play a 3 on 3, 3 minutes stop time period. In the case the game is still tied then there will be a shootout consisting of 3 shooters per team. If the game is still tied it will remain a tie and each receives one point in the standings.
A win in overtime, winning team receives 2 points and the loser receives 0 points
A win in a shootout, winning team receives 2 points and losing team receives 1 point
A game ending in a tie, each team receives 1 point.
As stated in “Penalty Section” above penalties called in overtime will be 2 minutes for minors and 3 minutes for majors. If a player or players are in the penalty box at the end of overtime, they are ineligible to shoot in the shootout.
Overtime Rules: Playoffs
Overtime in the playoffs will be played as followed 5 on 5, 5-minute stop time period. In the case the game is still tied then there will be a shootout consisting of 5 shooters per team. If tied after 5 rounds, then there will be a sudden death shootout where first team to score wins. The 5 original shooters can not shoot in the sudden death shootout until every player has had a chance to shoot.
A win in overtime or a shootout, winning team receives 2 points and the loser receives 0 points
Overtime Rules: BMHL Finals
Overtime in the BMHL Finals will be played as followed 5 on 5, 15-minute stop time periods. Overtime will be continuous until a team scores.
**In the case of time constraints during the final Saturday and the game is still tied then there will be a shootout consisting of 5 shooters per team. If tied after 5 rounds, then there will be a sudden death shootout where first team to score wins. The 5 original shooters cannot shoot in the sudden death shootout until every player has had a chance to shoot.
Playoffs:
Round 1 (Weeks 1 & 2 of the playoffs)
BMHL playoffs will see Seeds 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6 & 4 vs 5 in a “3 game series”. The teams will play each other 2 weeks in a row and in the case of each team winning one game then there will be a 10-minute sudden death overtime game to decide the series winner. If the game is still tied after 10 minutes, then there will be a shootout consisting of 5 shooters per team. If tied after 5 rounds, then there will be a sudden death shootout where first team to score wins. The 5 original shooters cannot shoot in the sudden death shootout until every player has had a chance to shoot. Games 1 and 2 will follow the overtime rules as stated in “Overtime Rules: Playoffs” section above.
Survival Round (First 2 games on Day of Champs)
The 4 losers of Round 1 will play each other in a Survival Round on the morning of The Day of Champs. Based on Regular season standings the highest seeded loser plays the lowest seeded loser and the middle seeded losers play each other. Survival Round overtime will follow the overtime rules as stated in “Overtime Rules: Playoffs” section above.
Quarter Finals (Games 3 & 4 on Day of Champs)
The winners of Survival games will play one of the two lower seeded winners of Round 1. A team cannot face the same team in the quarter finals that they faced in round 1 so the there is potential for the teams to “flip” sides. Quarter Finals overtime will follow the overtime rules as stated in “Overtime Rules: Playoffs” section above.
Semi Finals (Games 5 & 6 on Day of Champs)
The 2 highest seeded winners from Round 1 will automatically be placed in the semifinals. The highest of the 2 seeds will receive the 1st semi final time slot and the and 2nd highest seed receives the 2nd time slot. Semi Final overtime will follow the overtime rules as stated in “Overtime Rules: Playoffs” section above.
Finals (Game 7 on Day of Champs)
There will be a break of a least 30 minutes between semi final #2 and the start of the finals. Winner of semi final #1 will take on the winner of semi final #2. Finals overtime will follow the overtime rules as stated in “Overtime Rules: BMHL Finals” section above.
Team Rules:
Team Spares
Each team drafted a “Team Spare” and this player is eligible to play for his team any time at least one player is confirmed to be missing from his team that game. If an opening becomes available, then the team spare becomes a permanent roster player and a new team spare will be found. Team spares games played will be tracked and the league will decide what is owed.
Using Players from the league as spares
If a team has less than 8 skaters (including team spare and goalies) then they are allowed to pick up 1 player from the league if they choose. Teams cannot exceed 9 players with spares they pick up and they cannot pick up more guys than the other team is icing. Captains are not eligible to spare for other teams. In the case of a team’s players showing up to the game after it starts then the spares must leave the game if the team roster is at or above 9 players.
Spare list
The league still has a spare list. Players on this list will be used to fill team spares spots as they become vacant or as emergency players if necessary. This continues to be a work in progress.
Spare Goalies
The league has assembled a list of goalies that be contacted to fill in for an injured/sick or absent goalie. Please get ahold of someone from the league for phone numbers
BMHL Fees
The league fees for the 2022/23 season are as follows
Between August 1st and Sept, 24th $350.00
Between Sept 25th to Oct 31st $375.00
After Nov 1st $400.00
*Anyone not paid in full by Dec 1st will be removed from the league and replaced unless an agreement is arranged with the league before Nov 1st.
