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Rule 16. Starting Line-Up a.Prior to the start of the game, at the request of the Referee, the Manager or Coach of the visiting team is required to name the starting line-up to the Referee or Official Scorer. At any time in the game, at the request of the Referee made to the Captain, the visiting team must place a playing line-up on the ice and promptly commence play. b.Prior to the start of the game, the Manager or Coach of the home team, having been advised by the Official Scorer or the Referee the names of the starting line-up of the visiting team, shall name the starting line-up of the home team which information shall be conveyed by the Official Scorer or the Referee to the Coach of the visiting team. c.No change in the starting line-up of either team as given to the Referee or Official Scorer, or in the playing line-up on the ice, shall be made until the game is actually in progress. For an infraction of this rule, a bench minor penalty shall be imposed upon the offending team, provided such infraction is called to the attention of the Referee before the second face-off in the first period takes place. Rule 17. Equalizing of Teams DELETED Rule 18. Change of Players a.Players may be changed at any time from the players' bench provided that the player or players leaving the ice shall be within five feet (5') of his players' bench and out of the play before the change is made. A goalkeeper may be changed for another player at any time under the conditions set out in this section. (NOTES) 1.When a goalkeeper leaves his goal area and proceeds to his players' bench for the purpose of substituting another player, the rear Linesman shall be responsible to see that the substitution made is not illegal by reason of the premature departure of the substitute from the bench (before the goalkeeper is within five feet (5') of the bench). If the substitution is made prematurely, the Linesman shall stop the play immediately by blowing his whistle unless the non-offending team has possession of the puck in which event the stoppage will be delayed until the puck changes hands. There shall be no time penalty to the team making the premature substitution but the resulting face-off will take place on the center "face-off spot". 2.The Referee shall request that the public address announcer make the following announcement: "Play has been stopped due to premature entry of a player from the players' bench." If in the course of making a substitution, the player entering the game plays the puck with his stick, skates or hands or who checks or makes any physical contact with an opposing player while the retiring player is actually on the ice, then the infraction of "too many men on the ice" will be called. If in the course of a substitution either the player entering the play or the player retiring is struck by the puck accidentally, the play will not be stopped and no penalty will be called. b.If by reason of insufficient playing time remaining, or by reason of penalties already imposed, a bench minor penalty is imposed for deliberate illegal substitution (too many men on the ice) which cannot be served in its entirety within the legal playing time, a penalty shot shall be awarded against the offending team. c.A player serving a penalty on the penalty bench, who is to be changed after the penalty has been served, must proceed at once by way of the ice and be at his own players' bench before any change can be made. For any violation of this rule, a bench minor penalty shall be imposed. d.Following the stoppage of play, the visiting team shall promptly place a line-up on the ice ready for play and no substitution shall be made from that time until play has been resumed. The home team may then make any desired substitution which does not result in the delay of the game. If there is any undue delay by either team in changing lines, the Referee shall order the offending team or teams to take their positions immediately and not permit a line change. (NOTE) When a substitution has been made under the above rule, no additional substitution may be made until play commences. e.The Referee shall give the visiting team a reasonable amount of time to make their change after which he shall put up his hand to indicate that no further change shall be made by the visiting club. At this point, the home team may change immediately. Any attempt by the visiting team to make a change after the Referee's signal shall result in the assessment of a bench minor penalty for delay of game. Rule 19. Injured Players a.When a player other than a goalkeeper is injured or compelled to leave the ice during a game, he may retire from the game and be replaced by a substitute, but play must continue without the teams leaving the ice. b.If a goalkeeper sustains an injury or becomes ill, he must be ready to resume play immediately or be replaced by a substitute goalkeeper and NO additional time shall be allowed by the Referee for the purpose of enabling the injured or ill goalkeeper to resume his position. The substitute goalkeeper shall be allowed a two-minute warm-up during all pre-season games. No warm-up shall be permitted for a substitute goaltender in all regular season or playoff games. (See also Section (d). c.The Referee shall report to the Commissioner for disciplinary action any delay in making a goalkeeper substitution. The substitute goalkeeper shall be subject to the regular rules governing goalkeepers and shall be entitled to the same privileges. d.When a substitution for the regular goalkeeper has been made, such regular goalkeeper shall not resume his position until the first stoppage of play thereafter. e.If a penalized player has been injured, he may proceed to the dressing room without the necessity of taking a seat on the penalty bench. If the injured player receives a minor penalty, the penalized team shall immediately put a substitute player on the penalty bench, who shall serve the penalty without change. If the injured player receives a major penalty, the penalized team shall place a substitute player on the penalty bench before the penalty expires and no other replacement for the penalized player shall be permitted to enter the game except from the penalty bench. For violation of this rule, a bench minor penalty shall be imposed. The penalized player who has been injured and been replaced on the penalty bench shall not be eligible to play until his penalty has expired. f.When a player is injured so that he cannot continue play or go to his bench, the play shall not be stopped until the injured player's team has secured possession of the puck; if the player's team is in possession of the puck at the time of injury, play shall be stopped immediately unless his team is in a scoring position. (NOTE) In the case where it is obvious that a player has sustained a serious injury, the Referee and/or Linesman may stop the play immediately. g.When play has been stopped by the Referee or Linesman due to an injured player, such player must be substituted for immediately (except goalkeeper). If when the attacking team has control of the puck in its attacking zone, play is stopped by reason of any injury to a player of the defending team, the face-off shall take place in the defending team's end zone face-off spot. Rule 20. Sticks a.The sticks shall be made of wood or other material approved by the Rules Committee, and must not have any projections. Adhesive tape of any colour may be wrapped around the stick at any place for the purpose of reinforcement or to improve control of the puck. In the case of a goalkeeper's stick, there shall be a knob of white tape or some other protective material approved by the League. This knob must not be less than one-half inch (1/2") thick at the top of the shaft. Failure to comply with this provision of the Rule, the goalkeeper's stick is deemed unfit for play and must be changed without the application of a minor penalty. b.No stick shall exceed sixty inches (60') in length from the heel to the end of the shaft nor more than twelve and one-half inches (12 1/2") from the heel to the end of the blade. The blade of the stick shall not be more than three inches (3") in width at any point nor less than two inches (2"). All edges of the blade shall be beveled. The curvature of the blade of the stick shall be restricted in such a way that the distance of a perpendicular line measured from a straight line drawn from any point at the heel to the end of the blade to the point of maximum curvature shall not exceed one-half inch (1/2"). c.The blade of the goalkeeper's stick shall not exceed three and one-half inches (3 1/2") in width at any point except at the heel where it must not exceed four and one-half inches (4 1/2") in width; nor shall the goalkeeper's stick exceed fifteen and one-half inches (15 1/2") in length from the heel to the end of the blade. There is to be no measurement of the curvature of the blade on the goalkeeper's stick. All other elements of the stick are subject to a measurement and the appropriate applicable penalty. The widened portion of the goalkeeper's stick extending up the shaft from the blade shall not extend more than twenty-six inches (26") from the heel and shall not exceed three and one-half inches (3 1/2") in width. d.A minor penalty plus a fine of two hundred dollars ($200) shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who uses a stick not conforming to the provisions of this rule. (NOTES) 1.When a formal complaint is made by the Captain or Alternate Captain of a team, against the dimensions of any stick, the Referee shall take the stick to the Timekeeper's bench where the necessary measurement shall be made immediately. The result shall be reported to the Penalty Timekeeper who shall record it on the back of the penalty record. If the complaint is not sustained, a bench minor penalty shall be imposed against the complaining club in addition to a fine of one hundred dollars ($100). 2.A player who participates in the play while taking a replacement stick to his goalkeeper shall incur a minor penalty under this rule but the automatic fine of two hundred dollars ($200) shall not be imposed. If his participation causes a foul resulting in a penalty, the Referee shall report the incident to the Commissioner for disciplinary action. 3.A request for a stick measure-ment in overtime of any game is permitted, provided that such a request is not made following the scoring of a goal. e.In the event that a player scores on a penalty shot while using an illegal stick, the goal shall be disallowed and no further penalty imposed. However, if no goal is scored, the player taking the penalty shot shall receive a minor penalty. f.A minor penalty plus a ten-minute misconduct penalty shall be imposed on any player who refuses to surrender his stick for measurement when requested to do so by the Referee. In addition, this player shall be subject to a two hundred dollar ($200) fine. Rule 21. Skates a.All hockey skates shall be of a design approved by the Rules Committee. All skates worn by players (but not goalkeepers) and by the Referee and Linesmen shall be equipped with an approved safety heel. When the Referee becomes aware that any person is wearing a skate that does not have the approved safety heel, he shall direct its replacement at the next intermission. If such replacement is not carried out, the Referee shall report the incident to the Commissioner for disciplinary action. b.The use of speed skates or fancy skates or any skate so designed that it may cause injury is prohibited. Rule 22. Goalkeeper's Equipment a.With the exception of skates and stick, all the equipment worn by the goalkeeper must be constructed solely for the purpose of protecting the head or body, and he must not wear any garment or use any contrivance which would give him undue assistance in keeping goal. (NOTE) Cages on gloves and abdominal aprons extending down the front of the thighs on the outside of the pants are prohibited. "Cage" shall mean any lacing or webbing or other material in the goalkeeper's glove joining the thumb and index finger which is in excess of the minimum necessary to fill the gap when the goalkeeper's thumb and forefinger in the glove are fully extended and spread and includes any pocket or pouch effect produced by excess lacing or webbing or other material between the thumb and forefinger when fully extended or spread. Protective padding attached to the back or forming part of goalkeeper's gloves shall not exceed eight inches (8") in width nor more than sixteen inches (16") in length at any point. b.The leg guards worn by goalkeepers shall not exceed twelve inches (12") in extreme width when on the leg of the player. (NOTE) At the commencement of each season or at random during the season and prior to playoffs, goalkeepers' leg guards and gloves shall be checked by League staff and any violation of this rule shall be reported to the club involved and to the Commissioner of the League. c.Protective masks of a design approved by the Rules Committee may be worn by goalkeepers. Rule 23. Protective Equipment a.All protective equipment, except gloves, headgear and goalkeepers' leg guards must be worn under the uniform. For violation of this rule, after warning by the Referee, a minor penalty shall be imposed. (NOTE) Players including the goalkeeper violating this rule shall not be permitted to participate in game until such equipment has been corrected or removed. b.All players of both teams shall wear a helmet of design, material and construction approved by the Rules Committee at all times while participating in a game, either on the playing surface or the players' or penalty benches. Players may elect for exemption from the operation of this sub-section (b) by execution of an approved Request and Release form and filing it with the League Office. c.A glove from which all or part of the palm has been removed or cut to permit the use of the bare hand shall be considered illegal equipment and if any player wears such a glove in play, a minor penalty shall be imposed on him. When a complaint is made under this rule, and such complaint is not sustained, a bench minor penalty shall be imposed against the complaining club. Rule 24. Dangerous Equipment a.The use of pads or protectors made of metal, or of any other material likely to cause injury to a player, is prohibited. (NOTE) All elbow pads which do not have a soft protective outer covering of sponge rubber or similar material at least one-half inch (1/2") thick shall be considered dangerous equipment. b.A mask or protector of a design approved by the Rules Committee may be worn by a player who has sustained a facial injury. In the first instance, the injured player shall be entitled to wear any protective device prescribed by the club doctor. If any opposing club objects to the device, it may record its objection with the Commissioner. (NOTE) The Officiating Department is specifically authorized to make a check of each team's equipment to ensure the compliance with this rule. It shall report its findings to the Commissioner for his disciplinary action. Rule 25. Puck a.The puck shall be made of vulcanized rubber, or other approved material, one inch (1") thick and three inches (3") in diameter and shall weigh between five and one-half ounces (51/2 oz.) and six ounces (6 oz.). All pucks used in competition must be approved by the Rules Committee. b.The home team shall be responsible for providing an adequate supply of official pucks which shall be kept in a frozen condition. This supply of pucks shall be kept at the penalty bench under the control of one of the regular Off-ice Officials or a special attendant.