1. Schedules:
(a) The regular season will start October 1st and end in February. (Reviewed yearly)
Regular season will consist of the following:
(b) Depending on the year, playoffs start in February and end in either March or early April. All divisions, with the exception of U7 and U9, are placed in playoff pods based on regular season points, play 6 playoff games and Super Sunday. U9 plays regular season play based on Hockey Canada mandate and Super Sunday. U7 TBD based on Hockey Canada mandate.
(c) Mandatory for teams or Association Representatives to attend the scheduling meeting knowing their ice times. Calendars and forms for scheduling will be distributed to each Association Representative prior to the scheduling meeting.
(d) U9 to U22 will be attending Super Sunday, date and location to be determined annually. U7 TBD
(e) No games are played during the Christmas Break, March Break or Easter Weekend. The March break duration is typically a period of 9 days beginning the weekend before March Break week and ending the weekend after March Break week. GHGHL does not prohibit games from being played during this period and associations can schedule games during this period if both teams agree.
(f) All games must be scheduled before leaving the scheduling meetings, or before the deadline given by the GHGHL executive. Games are not allowed to be scheduled beyond the completion date for the regular season or playoffs set out by the GHGHL.
(g) Playoff pods will be determined annually by the GHGHL based on regular season standings.
2. Schedule Changes:
(a) All changes to times, dates or locations of games must be reported to ghghlaccess@gmail.com (copying both association representatives) at least forty-eight (48) hours before actual game time so the online system may be properly updated, and referees informed. Failure to do so may result in a $500 fine payable by the HOME team’s association.
(b) Game Changes - Teams must give at least 72 hrs notice of cancellation (except when there’s extreme weather) & both teams must agree to a reschedule date within 1 week (home team will offer at least two ice slots - visiting team may also offer ice). If no reschedule date can be agreed to, association representatives should contact the GHGHL executive for ruling.
(c) If a team is a “no show” or is a last-minute cancellation (except due to weather) they will incur the costs of referees and timekeepers (up to $200) & they will forfeit the game with a 0-5 loss recorded. This is to be enforced at the GHGHL executive discretion, based on reason for no show.
(d) Do not use player absenteeism as a reason for last-minute cancellations - use the “Pick up” player rules.
(e) League Cancellations Due to Weather - GHGHL President or Executive member is to be informed. Association Contacts are to manage all extreme weather situations and game cancellations. Re-book in the allowed timeframe.
(f) Forfeit Games: Forfeit teams must reimburse the host Association for the cost of referees and timekeepers if they choose to forfeit at the last-minute (up to $200). We prefer Associations to reschedule to avoid a forfeit. Forfeit teams will receive 0-5 loss as per OWHA Rules and GHGHL President will be notified.
(g) Due to the complexity of our league, where referees do not show up, games will be rescheduled and not considered a forfeit. Away team can decide if game is to be rescheduled at their home location (not wanting to travel a second time), but it is to be done at the cost of the host association (ice, referees and timekeeper).
3. Pick-up Players and goalies:
(a) A Pick-up player must be from a lower division, except:
(b) A Pick-up goalie is allowed from the same or lower division.
(c) Pick-up players and goalies can be used for regular season, playoffs and Super Sunday.
(d) Pick-up players are not permitted to replace suspended players.
(e) Pick-ups must be done through the RAMP Game Portal prior to start of game.
(f) A team may use a maximum of three (3) pickup players/goalie per game up to the team's roster limit. Not having a rostered goalie does not give a team the right to pickup a goalie to put them over their roster limit.
(g) Teams may opt to pick up players or a goalie from another association. This should be applied only when the impacted Association cannot acquire a pick-up first from within their own Association. Coaches must request written permission from both affected Association representatives and GHGHL president each time this occurs.
(h) A Players own team must honor any suspensions incurred by the player while acting as a pickup player for another team.
(i) U9 half ice games can include callups to allow up to 2 lines in both games (can exceed roster limit). This can be from the same association or another association, with only approval through RAMP needed (no GHGHL executive approval required).
(j) Any team found to have violated the Pick-Up Players rule by virtue of not having complied with any of the requirements or limits specified in Rule 3, will forfeit the game in which the violation(s) was found to have occurred. Teams violating Rule 3, as above, will be considered by the League to have used an ineligible or illegal player and the violation will be reported to the GHGHL as a suspendable offence.
4. Officials
(a) See OWHA handbook for full Officials section, points added below to reinforce the importance
(b) It is recognized that there is currently a shortage of certified officials in some areas of Ontario. As such, games may proceed with fewer than the ideal number of on-ice officials. For example, games normally scheduled with 3 officials may be officiated by 2 officials. In exceptional circumstances, 1 official may work the game with agreement of the official and with written approval from both teams. Once the agreement has been made, a game cannot be protested on the basis of having one official for the game.
(c) At all times, associations and coaches are to be in control of themselves and their teams and support fair play for all involved.
(d) It is the responsibility of every association, team, and participant to always treat officials with respect. When an official is wearing a green armband, they are a young person learning and contributing to the game. Minimum suspensions may be increased at any time and special attention will be paid to any violations against green armband officials.
5. Game Lengths and Other GHGHL Game Rules
(a) All regular season (except U7/U9 half ice games) and playoff games will consist of three stop time periods (10 - 10 -12) and possibly subject to a curfew time. In Arenas where the assigned game time is subject to a curfew, a rostered member of the coaching staff from both teams are to be notified before the start of the game and it should be noted on the electronic GameSheet.
(b) All regular season (except U7/U9 half ice games) are stop time. If a goal differential of five (or greater) is reached during the game, run-time will be in effect until the differential is reduced to less than five or until the game is complete.
(c) A three minute warm up shall be set and run on the score clock at the beginning of each game.
(d) Time outs: No time outs are allowed in regular season or playoff games. If a team request a time out during a regular season or playoff game, the team is to receive a delay of game penalty.
(e) Goal Spread: There shall be no more than a five (5) - goal spread posted on the scoreboard during any game in this league.
(f) Jersey colour: House league teams often have only one jersey colour, so it is the home team that must find alternative jerseys if conflict occurs. Home team should ask visiting team of colour in advance of game time, to avoid a delay in game start time.
(g) U7/U9 half ice rules: These are subject to review annually at opening GHGHL meeting. Rules decided will be posted online prior to start of season.
(h) Three Goal Rule U9 & U11: U9 and U11 players are limited to three goals per game all season, playoffs and Super Sunday. Once a player has three goals, their goals will not count. It is the accountability of coaches to ensure both the referees and timekeeper know this rule. If game sheets are found to include more than 3 goals for a player, the extra goals will be removed by GHGHL executive.
(i) Three Penalties Rule: Any player who receives three (3) minor penalties in one game will be ejected. A double minor is to count as 2 minor penalties. This game ejection is only for the remainder of that game when the third minor penalty is accessed. Bench staff are to remind timekeepers and referees of this rule.
6. Electronic Game Sheets
(a) It is important that the game sheet data be entered accurately both during and as soon as the game has been completed. Teams only have 24 hours from the start time of the game to enter the details of the game into the electronic gamesheet. Game Codes are deactivated 24 hours after the game start time.
(b) The on-ice officials must review the data entered into the electronic game sheet via the code they have been provided and sign off on the game as soon as possible following the end of the game and within 24 hours from the start of the game.
(c) It is the responsibility of the home team to provide the game codes to other parties (officials, and timekeeper). Both the home and visiting team must access the electronic game sheet, via their respective code, to select the players and staff for that particular game at least fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled game time.
(d) If any players on your team have different sweater numbers for home and away, then please modify the appropriate numbers via the RAMP game sheet app. You DO NOT have to name your starting line-up. With the exception of goalie, player positions are not necessary.
7. Notification of Game Results
It is the responsibility of both teams to confirm the stats of the game. If there are any discrepancies, both teams should be emailing game details to ghghlaccess@gmail.com. Ensure that the game ID # is provided as well as which division you are playing in. The ghghlaccess@gmail.com email is to be used if game stats are not entered or entered incorrectly. Both teams are to be copied on the email.
8. Player Suspensions
"All Suspensions or Misconducts under the direct jurisdiction of OWHA and must be managed in accordance with OWHA protocol". This includes players, coaches, trainers, and managers. GHGHL reserves the right to add additional discipline measures on top of but cannot overturn or reduce OWHA rulings for Associations to enforce.
Below updated annually directly from OWHA Rules & Regulations:
“Section 7 - Suspensions Any suspendable offence must be reported to the OWHA (stats@owha.on.ca) by the team. a) For any suspendable offence occurring in any game including a League game, the OWHA must be notified by the offending team within 24 hours or prior to the teams next game, whichever comes first. Failure to do so will result in a two-game (2) suspension to the head coach. b) An email indicating a suspension issued or game served, must be submitted to the OWHA via stats@owha.on.ca immediately following the game. If a team has failed to send the documentation and the suspended player participates in a game, the head coach will be considered to have used an illegal player and the current OWHA discipline shall be levied. c) All members must follow the minimum suspension guidelines as circulated annually by the OWHA. These suspensions must be served at the next OWHA sanctioned event(s). NOTE: Exhibition games cannot be used to serve suspensions, and the suspended individual cannot participate in these games, until their suspension has been served in full.”
9. Protests
While many variables can arise during gameplay, judgement calls do not qualify for protest. Protests will be considered in two specific areas:
Important: Protests are complaint-driven. Without a formal form submitted that includes supporting documentation (e.g., game sheet), the Executive will not pursue the matter.
Protest Procedure:
10. PlayoffPODS
If there is a tie in points after the regular season or when establishing pods for playoffs the following criteria shall be used to break the tie:
(a) Number of wins
(b) Least number of losses
(c) Head to Head
(d) Fewest penalty minutes during season
(e) Goals scored minus goals against during season
(f) Coin toss
11. GHGHL Playoff Rules
(a) Points awarded as follows: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss.
(b) If there is a tie in points after the round-robin pod games, the following criteria will be used to break the tie:
(i) Number of wins
(ii) Least number of losses
(iii) Head to Head
(iv) Fewest penalty minutes in all round-robin games
(v) Goals scored minus the goals against in all round-robin games
(vi) Coin toss
(c) No other rule alterations from regular season rules for playoffs.
12. GHGHL "SUPER SUNDAY" Rules
(a) Games will consist of 10-10-12 minute stop-time periods. This will be reviewed annually and period times subject to change based on available ice times. All teams will attend Super Sunday unless otherwise indicated by the GHGHL Executive. Association teams who do not attend will still be billed for their share of Super Sunday.
(b) All teams MUST be available to play 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.
(c) One-30 second timeout per team will be allowed in all games during Super Sunday. Overtime is not a new game.
(d) Overtime: In the event of a tie at the end of regulation time, a sudden victory 3-on-3, 3-minute overtime will commence.
(e) Shootout: If still tied, a shootout will occur.
(f) Super Sunday Committee reserves itself the final word on the interpretation of the rules.
(g)We respectfully ask for your assistance in that no team photos be taken on ice unless approved by Super Sunday Committee. Medals may be presented off-ice if deemed by Super Sunday Committee due to time constraints and will be presented at a determined location as required. We thank you for your anticipated support in this matter.
13. OWHA Rules and Regulations will apply to all other situations, subject to GHGHL executive interpretation.
Link to be updated annually after OWHA releases their rule changes.