University of Vermont Campus Recreation

Floor Hockey 

The rules governing this intramural sport activity are derived from rules used by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) and rules unique to the UVM Intramural Sports Program. This rules sheet is not meant to be all-inclusive; rather it is a summary of the more common rules, policies, and procedures used by the Intramural Sports Program. All important policy information can be found in the Intramural Sports Handbook, which is available on our website. All team managers and players are responsible for reading this document and understanding the rules, policies, and procedures prior to participating in this activity. 

General/Eligibility - See the Intramural Sports Handbook for complete listing of eligibility.
 

Varsity & Club Player Eligibility - Members of the UVM Varsity Ice Hockey Teams are not eligible to participate in intramural floor hockey. Members of the UVM Club Ice/Roller Hockey Teams are eligible to participate in intramural floor hockey; however these players are subject to the following participation guidelines:

• No more than one (2) club players (men’s or women’s team members) may be listed on a roster.
• Penalty: Use of an ineligible player will result in a forfeit and possibly being removed from further competition.

Intramural Team Participation - Individuals may only play on one same sex team and one co-rec team per floor hockey season.
 

UVM Identification - All players MUST present a UVM Cat Card to the IMS Supervisor prior to each game. Players who do not have their Cat Card will be subject to the terms of the Campus Recreation ID Policy.

Team Rosters - All players must sign the online IMLeagues waiver and must appear on the IMLeagues roster. The official team roster consists only of those individuals who are eligible and who have signed the online waiver/joined the online roster.

Communication with Staff - Team captains are the only individuals permitted to speak with officials regarding substitutions, calls, or questions. If another player attempts to dispute, a warning may be issued. Subsequently, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty may be called followed by a possible ejection. 

Players - Six (6) players (minimum) per team (including the goalie). A team may start with no less than four (4) players. In the event a team is playing with the minimum number (4) of players, and a player becomes injured or has to leave (other than an ejection) the game will continue until it is deemed a farce as determined by the officials and supervisor. 

Substitutions
Substitutions are permitted only during stoppage of play thru their team doors. Players entering the game must wait until the player leaves the floor is completely. All substitutes must enter from their team bench. NO substitution is permitted for an ejected player. The team will play shorthanded for the remainder of the game. If a team loses two players due to ejection, the team will automatically forfeit.

Goalie Substitutions
Goalie substitutions are only allowed if the substitute goalie is present and ready when the goalie requests the substitution. If not they need to wait for a timeout or the next period.
Exception: if the goalie on floor becomes injured. 

Duration of Game and Grace Period 

Game Length
Games will consist of three (3) periods. The periods will be 10 minutes in length. During the last two (2) minutes of the game, the clock will stop on all whistles.

Timeouts
Each team will be allowed two (2) time outs per game (1 minute in length). Unused timeouts may not be carried over into the Overtime Period (playoffs only). Teams will be awarded one, 1-minute time out during OT. Timeouts must be called by a team in clear possession of the ball or during a dead ball period in the game.

Game Time is Forfeit Time! 
All intramural events are tightly scheduled based on facility availability to allow for maximum participation, so keeping the games on schedule is very important. Please have your team at the field checked-in and ready to play at least 15 minutes before your scheduled game time. Game time if forfeit time! If one team is late/is not present, the team's captain that is present and has the minimum number of participants required ready to play will be given two options (once a decision is made it cannot be changed):
    - Take the forfeit immediately
    - Give the team five (5) minutes to show
    - If the team shows, the game must be played with only the remaining amount of time left. If the team still does not show, it will be a forfeit.
Reverse Clause: The IM Staff reserves the right to make any necessary time/schedule adjustments due to facility availability and conflicts.

Mercy Rule
If a team is down by four (4) goals or more at the two minute mark in the third period, the clock will not stop. 

Equipment

Game Jerseys: IMS Pinnies will be checked out to team captains

Jewelry: All jewelry must be removed. This includes, but is not limited to, necklaces, earrings, newly pierced earrings, facial piercings, rings, bracelets, and watches. Individuals will not be allowed to tape over any jewelry item. If you cannot remove the item then you CANNOT play.

Equipment: Sticks and balls will be provided. Gloves, shin pads, elbow pads, pants, mouth guards, groin protection and chest/shoulder protectors are highly recommended, but not required. Questionable equipment is subject to approval by the IMS supervisor/official.

Goalie Equipment: Goalies are required to wear a helmet with cage, a helmet and chest protector are provided. A catching glove and leg guards will be available upon request, but are not required. If needed, each team will be issued a set of goalie equipment at the start of the game. A UVM ID must be given to the Intramural Sports Supervisor in order to check out this equipment.
At the end of the game, the equipment must be returned to the supervisor on duty. Any loss or damage of equipment will be charged to the person whose ID was given. 

Playing Rules

Body Checking: Floor hockey is a non-contact sport. Players must play the ball at all times. Body checking is not permitted and will be penalized.

Boarding: Pushing or checking players up against the boards is not permitted and will result in a 5 minute major penalty.

Slap Shots: Slap shots are not allowed. A slap shot is defined as a shot being taken where the blade of the stick starts above the player’s knee. The first slap shot will be penalized with a face-off in the offending player’s defensive zone. If repeated by anyone on the same team, the slap shot will be penalized.

Thrown Sticks: If a stick is thrown during an obvious scoring opportunity, a goal will be awarded to the team that had gained an obvious scoring opportunity. If a stick is thrown during any other time, a 2-minute penalty will be assessed..

Playing Area: The entire surface is playable. The ball is considered out of play if it hits into the netting or is caught in one of the boards. 

Putting the Ball in Play/Resuming Play: 
Out of Bounds: If the ball goes out over the boards into the netting or is stuck in a board, the ball will be reset at the closest faceoff dot. 

Face-offs: Face-offs will occur at the center circle following goals, at the start of a new period, or if an injury occurs. If the goalie freezes the ball, a face-off will occur at the designated spot in the goalie’s defensive zone.

Playing the Ball: Players may not catch the ball. The ball may be knocked down using a hand, but it must be played by that player’s stick before it is touched by another team member. When swinging the stick in an attempt to make contact with the ball, no portion of the stick should extend above the waist.
Exception: Goalkeepers in the crease.

Offsides: There are no rules regarding “Offsides”.

Icing: Icing is defined in floor hockey by an end line pass that goes out on the opposite end line without touching anyone or anything. The result of this play will be: a face-off from the zone where the initial pass was attempted.

Advancing the ball: The ball may be advanced by the blade of the stick or by kicking the ball. However, no goal may be scored by kicking the ball directly into the opponent’s net. Players may not throw the ball at any time.

Free Hit: These are awarded to teams who had a 2-minute minor assessed against them. Teams will receive the ball at the faceoff dot closest to where the infraction occurred. They are eligible to pass or shoot the puck without any obstructions within 10 feet. 

Goalies
Stopping the Ball: The goalie may use any means possible to stop the ball with their body, glove, or stick.

Possession of the Ball: Upon gaining control of the ball, the goalie has one second to play the ball. If the goalie doesn’t distribute the ball immediately, a face-off will occur in the goalies defensive end. When goalies gain possession of the ball, they may play it with their sticks or roll the ball onto the floor but may not throw the ball by any means.

Dislodged Net: In the case that the net becomes dislodged, but is not involved in the ensuing play, the referee shall allow play to continue and will replace the net. If it is dislodged and is in the play, the referee shall blow the play dead and a face-off will occur at the designated spot in the goalie’s defensive zone.

Pulling the Goalie: If a team wishes to pull the goalie and add a floor player, the team relinquishes all of the goalie rights. Defensive players may enter the crease to stop a shot on goal; they may not however freeze the ball. If a defensive player freezes the ball out of the crease, the result shall be a two-minute delay of game penalty. If a defensive player freezes the ball in the crease, the result shall be a penalty shot (Goalie may return to the floor). 

Scoring
Goal awarded: A goal is scored when the ball completely crosses the goal line before time expires.

Goal disallowed: No offensive player or their stick may enter or break the plane of the goal. This is a rule to protect the goalie from stick violations and injury. An offensive player may only score a goal by shooting the ball from outside the goal crease or playing a rebound. No offensive player may score a goal by kicking or throwing the ball into the net. 

Fouls and Penalties
Intramural floor hockey is different from NHL/NCAA ice hockey (where penalties are “part of the game”). The accumulation of penalties in intramural floor hockey will impact your team’s sportsmanship rating (i.e., if your team earns a high number of penalties it will be reflected in your sportsmanship rating). All "minors" are assessed as "free hits" for a team. The offending players do not actually serve the time. However, if they accumulate multiple penalties they will be ejected from the game. All "majors" are assessed as penalty box minutes and the offending player must serve the time on their team bench. The other team will receive a "power play" advantage.

Excessive Penalties: Any player accumulating six (6) or more penalty minutes in one game shall be ejected from that game. In addition, any team accumulating twelve (12) or more minutes in penalties will automatically forfeit the game and the team captain must meet with the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports before the team may participate again.
The following penalties will result in two-minute minors:
    - Tripping
    - Holding
    - High sticking
    - Kicking the ball into goal
    - Dangerous play/sliding (2nd call on the same team is a 5 minute major, 3rd call results in ejection)
    - Hand pass
    - Hooking
    - Slashing
    - Goalie interference
    - Slap shots (second offense by a team)
    - Delay of game (incorrect goalie possession – goes to one of the players on the floor)
    - Bench minors (too many players on the floor, a player not being signed in while participating, taking too many time-outs, etc.)*Thrown stick*

Note: Any bench minor penalties will not count towards a player’s own penalty minutes. Double minors (4 minutes) can be called for any of the above penalties at the official’s discretion. If a player is ejected due to committing too many penalties, the player’s team must play shorthanded for the remainder of the game.

Major penalties may be given to any player (including the goalie) and will last for five (5) minutes. Teams must play down until the 5 minutes expire. The following are considered 5 minute majors and depending on officials judgement, may lead to ejection.

    - Person other than the captain disputing an official’s ruling
    - Disrespect to any official
    - Equipment violation
    - Obscene language/gestures
    - Penalized player not going directly to penalty box
    - Fighting
    - High sticking to the face/head
    - Any contact to the head at all
    - Throwing a stick at a player
    - Checking from behind or boarding (head first)
    - Any attempt to injure a player
    - Disrespect to any official
    - Cross-checking
    - Boarding
    - Charging
    - Roughing Overtime (Rules for overtime are subject to change before the playoffs begin) 

Overtime Procedure
Overtime will only be utilized during playoffs. Regular season games may end in a tie.
Tie games will be settled by a five (5) minute (running clock) sudden death victory overtime period. If still tied at the conclusion of the OT period, a shoot-out will determine the winner. Teams will be awarded one, 1-minute time out during OT.

Shoot Out: During the shoot-out, teams must use the same goalie and players on the floor that finished the overtime period. The shoot-out will consist of three (3) players from each team taking penalty shots on an alternating basis. If it is still tied at then end of three (3) rounds, the team that scores the first unanswered goal wins. Each of the three players participating for a team in the shoot out must shoot once before a player can shoot again. Each player attempting a shoot-out shot must start at mid-court. Each player has five (5) seconds from when the ball is initially touched to shoot the ball 

Definitions
Dangerous play/Sliding: Playing the ball from your knees and sliding leads to a dangerous play, and shall be defined as either playing or attempting to play the ball while not being on your feet. This shall include a floor player leaving their feet in an attempt to stop a play or ball. 

Goalie Interference: Unless the puck is in the goal crease, a player of the attacking team may not stand in, have their stick in, or run through the goal crease while the attacking team has possession of the puck. Violation of this rule will result in a free hit for the goalie.

Goalie Possession of Ball: 
1) The goalie may not gain possession of the ball outside of the crease unless part of their body is touching a portion of the crease. The goalie also may not possess the ball for longer than 5 seconds.
2) The goalie may not gain possession of the ball within the crease, drop the ball outside of the crease to put it in play, and intentionally bring it back into the crease without another player first touching the ball.

Hand pass: Defined as passing the ball directly to a teammate with your hand. Catching an airborne ball is considered legal provided the player drops the ball in a straight line down to the floor to his or her stick.

Kicking the ball: The ball may not be intentionally kicked into the offensive goal. However, the ball may be played with the foot to another player.

Power Play: An advantage given for 5 minutes (major penalty), for the team not committing the penalty. All minor penalties result in "free hits" for a team. A team cannot be more than one player down at one time. If a second penalty to a person is called that person will be required to sit in the box until their time starts at the end of the first assigned penalty.

Penalty Shot: A breakaway shot between the person taking it and the goaltender. The player carries the puck from the center line and has one shot on net. The goalie must remain in the crease until the shooter touches the ball. Only the fouled player can take the penalty shot. A penalty shot is awarded to restore a lost scoring opportunity.
Examples: in the last two minutes of regulation or overtime, a defensive player intentionally knocks down the goal net; or the offensive player was prevented a great scoring opportunity by the defensive player tackling or tripping them from behind.