BPHC establishes the Official berkshire pond Hockey Rules:
1. Waivers must be signed by all players prior to entering the tournament.
2. To begin the game, home team (as designated by the schedule) takes the puck out.
3. All players must wear hockey helmets with a chin strap and hockey skates. Protective equipment is optional but highly recommended.
4. No goalie equipment, goalie sticks or goalies permitted.
5. All teams will be provided with a jersey but teams should bring a light and dark.
6. There will be a minimum of one volunteer timekeeper to monitor the play (scoring, time, puck reset). Commissioner Jim Thomas will be the arbiter of unsolvable infractions.
7. Any major penalty, which includes any action that could possibly injure another player, will result in that player being ejected from the tournament.
8. No checking is allowed. Such action will results in the other team getting a free take out unless deemed serious enough to be a major by off-ice official in which case that player will be ejected from the tournament.
9. No slapshots allowed.
10. Players cannot fall or lay on the ice in an effort to protect the goal area. Such action will result in a loss of possession.
11. Games are self-policed. Contacting the puck with a stick above the waist will result in a loss of possession.
12. Saucer passes (i.e. pucks that are lifted low, below the knee) are acceptable.
13. If a puck goes out of bounds, the last team to touch it loses possession. During restart, the defender must give the opponent 2-stick lengths of space.
14. There are no off-sides or icing calls.
15. Goals can be scored from any area of the rink.
16. Airhorns will sound to start the game and end the game.
17. Teams must give their opponents 1/2 ice after a goal is scored.
18. Weather Depending, games will be composed of two 15-minute running halfs or 1 running 20-minute game.
19. Games that are not the playoffs (round robin games) will remain a tie after the conclusion of the game. Playoff games move to a sudden death format.
20. All games are running-time and substitutions can be made during play (“on-the-fly”) or while a puck is being retrieved. Substitutions must take place in the vicinity of the player’s bench. There is no stoppage of play after a goal is scored. It is up to each team to ensure that there are only four players on the ice.
21. Players can only play on one team.
22. It is the responsibility of the team captain to ensure the correct game score has been logged on the scorecard with the timekeeper/scorer.
- Any scoring challenges must be addressed by the registered team captain with the Commissioner at the center tent within 60 minutes of the end of the game.
23. Teams will have a 5-minute warm-up which consists of shoveling the ice according to Monterey Rink shoveling formation.
24. Have fun!