MIDDLESEX YANKEE CONFERENCE GIRLS LEAGUE

RULES AND POLICIES

Section 1:  Teams

1. All teams must be registered with Massachusetts Hockey or USA Hockey.  An official signed, stamped USA Hockey roster must be submitted to the Middlesex Yankee Conference Girls League by December 15 of the current season.  Birth certificates of all players must be made available to the MYC League upon request.

2. A roster will consist of a maximum of 18 players excluding goaltenders.  Exceptions to this must be requested in writing to the MYC League for approval.

3. A minimum of six (6) players is required to be dressed for a game.

4. Player eligibility dates for team rosters will be in accordance with USA Hockey.   Player must be league age as of 12/31 of the current season.  U19 - Nineteen years or younger; U14 - Fourteen years or younger;  U12 - Twelve years or younger;  U10 - Ten years or younger.

 ***NEW RULE***

5.  For the current season only, the MYC will allow players to play for their town teams as well as independent teams.  If both the town and independent teams end up in the same division or could possibly play against each other, the player must choose one team at the beginning of the season and stay on that roster for all games in which the two teams meet.  Playdown games included.  This only applies to town and independent teams.  Players cannot play on two different town teams at the same age level.

6. The divisions will be U10, U12, U14 and U19.  A player for a team below may be used as an alternate a maximum of ten games.  A or I players can only play for A or I teams.  A or I players from younger levels cannot play for B or II teams under any circumstances.  

7. All players must have legal equipment.  CHIN STRAPS are required at all levels.  MOUTH GUARDS are required at all levels. 

8. Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches must be USA Hockey patched to at least Level 3.  Patched coaches must record their certification number on all gamesheets along with their signature.

1. Unless otherwise specified in the Rules and Policies of the MYCGL, the playing rules will be guided by the current USA Hockey/Massachusetts Hockey rulebooks.

2. All teams should be ready to take the ice five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of their game and will take the ice immediately at the request of the game officials.

3. A three-minute warm-up shall be allowed at the start of the game.  Teams that are not prepared to play after the conclusion of the warm-up period will be given a Delay of Game penalty.

4.      MERCY RULE:  Any game where the score differential is five (5) goals in the third period, running time will commence.  If the score reverts to less than five (5) goals, stop time will resume.

5.      Any game in which there is a combined penalty total of 14 or more will be played in running time for the remainder of the game.

6.      Any penalty called after the whistle is blown may carry a misconduct penalty.

7.      Any penalty called during the post-game handshake will carry an automatic game misconduct.

8.      Any player incurring four (4) penalties in one game will be ejected and receive a game misconduct which must be served at the next scheduled MYCGL game.

9.      The exchange of fists (fighting) on or off the ice between players will carry an automatic misconduct penalty with a one-game suspension.  See Rule 10.

10. Any team receiving a total of 15 penalties in one game shall forfeit the game and will pay a double charge.

11.  Any game misconduct with ejection assessed to a player in the Middlesex Yankee Conference Girls League, or, MYCGL must be served in the next MYCGL game.

·        To satisfy USA Hockey rules, the player must sit out the next game when assessed a game misconduct penalty with an ejection and noted on the scoresheet.

·        A coach or player who knowingly violates this rule will be subject to a one (1) year suspension from MYCGL for using an illegal player.

12.  Any coach or team official who receives a game misconduct with ejection will be required to sit out the next two MYCGL games and noted on the scoresheet.  Any coach or team official who knowingly violates this rule and refuses to sit out will be suspended from the MYCGL for the remainder of the season.

13.  All MYCGL games are played under a curfew, therefore, under USA Hockey rule 637e, there will be no timeouts permitted, except for the end of season Championship Playoff games where one (1) timeout per team is permitted.

14.  The Head Coach is responsible for the behavior of players, parents and spectators.  Any     parent or spectator who, after being warned by a league official, ie:  Referee, persists in conduct which is detrimental to the play of the game, will be ejected from the rink.  If the individual(s) refuses to leave the area, players will take their benches and running time will commence until offender leaves the premises.      

15.   If a player is injured, coaches are not allowed onto the ice until the Referee signals them.

16.   Parents are not allowed on the ice or in the vicinity of the Referee’s locker room.

17.   To be eligible to play in the end of season playoffs, a player must appear on that team’s official USA Hockey roster with the proper stamps and signatures, on file with the MYCGL, and will have played at least ten (10) games with player’s name appearing on the gamesheet.

18.  Two (2) points are awarded for a win, one (1) point for a tie and zero (0) points for a loss in the league standings.

19.   Roster questions (player eligibility, gender, etc.) will be directed to the MYCGL home office at 4 Leslie Rd., Waltham, MA  02451 accompanied by a check made out to the league for $100.  At no time is a team official allowed to question referees about rosters.  A bench minor will be assessed to the team if a coach questions the eligibility or gender of a player.  If a coach persists after the bench minor is assessed, the penalty will escalate including ejection from the game.

Section 3:  Schedules, Postponements, Cancellations and Make-ups

1. Every effort will be made by the MYCGL to issue schedules in a timely manner.

2.  All requests for special scheduling must be made four weeks prior to the end of the current schedule.  Any changes needed after that date are the responsibility of the team/program.

3. In case of inclement weather, unless instructed by the MYCGL that the game has been canceled, teams should call the rink.  If the rink is open, the game should be played.  If the two teams decide not to play, the make-up game is the responsibility of the teams/programs.

4. Teams/Progams needing to request a change in the schedule must do so two weeks prior to the scheduled game.  Every effort will be made to accommodate a game switch, but if it is not possible because other teams are unavailable, the team requesting the change must either play or make up the game.  Inside the two-week window, if requested changes cannot be done, and a team cannot play, a temporary forfeit will be leveled.

5. A temporary forfeit will appear in the stats as a 1-0 loss until the game is played as a make-up at which time the final score will be entered into the stats.  Forfeiting team will have 30-days to provide a sheet of ice, two referees and one timekeeper for a make-up game at the original site of the game or, if original site was neutral, at forfeiting team’s arena.    If forfeiting team cannot secure ice for a make-up, a sheet will be provided by the MYCGL and the team/program will be billed.

6. All make-up games must be completed before end of season Playoffs start.  A double charge per game will be billed for programs not completing make-up games by the end of the regular season.

Section 4:  Amendments

1.      The Rules and Policies of the MYCGL may be amended, repealed or revised at any time and notice will be given to all teams/programs within the League. 

Rules and Regulations, Reviewed, Revised and Corrected:  August 2008