Rules for Senior Division
These rules contain all amendments up to and including August 2019.
1. MISCONDUCTS
1.1 A player receiving a misconduct will serve 10 minutes in the penalty box. A second misconduct in the same game results in an automatic game ejection.
1.2 Players receiving a second misconduct penalty during the season will be subject to a review by the executive to determine if a suspension is warranted.
2. GAME MISCONDUCTS
2.1 A player receiving a game misconduct is ejected from the game and suspended for their team's next scheduled game.
2.2. A second game misconduct in the same season will result in a two-game suspension.
2.3 A player receiving more than two game misconducts in a season will be suspended indefinitely until a review by the executive.
3. GROSS MISCONDUCTS
3.1 A player receiving a gross misconduct is ejected from the game and suspended for their team's next three (3) scheduled games.
3.2. A player receiving more than one gross misconduct in a season will be suspended indefinitely until a review by the executive.
4. MATCH PENALTIES
4.1 A player receiving a match penalty is suspended until review by the executive to determine length of suspension.
5. FIGHTING
5.1 A first infraction in a season for fighting will result in a three (3) game suspension. A player determined to be the instigator of a fight or the aggressor will receive a three (3) game suspension and may have further games added to the suspension.
5.3. A second infraction in one season for fighting will result in a suspension for the remainder of the season with no refund of registration fees.
6. PRE-GAME AND OFF-ICE BEHAVIOUR
6.1 Any infraction during handshakes will result in a five (5) game suspension.
6.2 Conveners have the authority to issue suspensions to individual players for disrespectful or unsportsmanlike conduct off the ice while inside the arena during scheduled Rotary Hockey ice times. This includes, but is not limited to, profanity, willful damage to property or altercations with other players, coaches, referees, Rotary Hockey officials and/or spectators.
6.3 If any player leaves the playing area (bench, ice surface) of their own accord for their dressing room before their game has officially ended, can be suspended upon review by the executive.
7. ABUSE OF OFFICIALS
7.1 There is zero tolerance for abuse of officials. A minor penalty and a game misconduct will be assessed, along with a one-game suspension (as in 2.1). This applies to players and any person on the team bench.
7.2 Suspensions will be doubled for subsequent offences of 7.1.
8. PENALTIES
8.1 Any player receiving three (3) penalties in one game will be assessed an automatic game ejection. There will be no suspension unless rules specifically account for penalty (eg. Misconduct). A second occurrence will result in an automatic one (1) game suspension and any subsequent occurrences will be an indefinite suspension until the Rotary executive review the penalties.
9. CHECKING FROM BEHIND & CHECKING TO THE HEAD
9.1 All checking from behind penalties that result in a five (5) minute penalty and game misconduct will incur a three (3) game suspension. A minor penalty and game misconduct will incur a one (1) game suspension.
9.2 Checking from behind penalties where injury is a result will be reviewed by the executive to see if further punishment is warranted.
10. BODY CHECKING
10.1 All body checking penalties result in a game ejection. A five (5) minute major for body checking will also be penalized with a three (3) game suspension. A minor penalty, if the first occurrence, will result in a review by the executive in addition to the game ejection. A second minor penalty will result in a two (2) game suspension in addition to the game ejection. Additional minor penalties will result in review by the executive prior to the player being allowed to return to the ice.
11. PENALTY CARRY-OVERS
11.1 Suspensions which cannot be served in the current season will carry over to the following season. A carry-over suspension will be served once the regular season begins, NOT during any part of the exhibition season.
11.2 Penalties or suspensions which occur in the player's final game of one season will carry over and be counted as the first infraction in the following season. (Example: a fight in the final game of a season is the first infraction against the player in the following season. Any fight in the subsequent season would then be the second infraction and result in the appropriate punishment - ejection from league).
12. TIE-BREAKERS
12.1 If two teams have the same number of points at the end of the playoff round-robin to determine the A or B Division finalists, the tie will be broken with a single playoff game if Rotary Hockey has ice time available. If no ice time is available, the team advancing to the final will be the one with the fewer penalty minutes in the playoff round.
12.2 If a playoff game is tied at the end of regulation time, a sudden-victory overtime period of no more than 10 minutes will be played (based on available ice time). If the score remains tied following the overtime, the teams will advance to a shootout as per junior division rules (Rule 8.6).
12.3 The executive will determine a tie-breaking format for ties involving more than two teams.
13. SERVING OF PENALTIES
13.1 No player will serve time in the penalty box in the place of a penalized teammate. Examples include a goaltender who is assessed a penalty, a player who receives a penalty which calls for their removal from the game, and a penalty for too many players on the ice. The penalty time will be put on the clock and the team will play shorthanded (with no player in the box for that particular penalty). The coaches, referees and game timekeeper will monitor when the team is allowed to return a skater to the ice.