Montgomery Youth Hockey Association House Bantams Rules

This page was last updated on 11/01/02.

· Equal Ice Time

It is MYHA’s policy that all players on House teams receive equal ice time. The goal of the MYHA House program is to improve the skills of every player in the program. This is best accomplished by having every player play in all game situations, with teams setting their lines and rotating through those lines throughout the game and throughout overtime.

• At the Atoms, Mites, Squirts and Peewees levels, the equal ice time rule applies throughout the game and overtime without exception.

• At the Bantams level, coaches will have discretion to play any players he/she chooses only during the last two minutes of regulation time.

• At the Midgets level, coaches will have the discretion to play any players he/she chooses during three special game situations: power plays, penalty kills and the last two minutes of regulation time.

Commissioners and coaching directors are obligated to look into complaints of equal ice time violations. If a coach is found to have violated the equal ice time rule in a particular game, and his team has won that game, the win will be voided and the game will be recorded as a forfeit for that team.

Additionally, a coach who violates the equal ice time rule will receive a warning for a first offense and a suspension for a second offense. A third offense will automatically trigger suspension pending a disciplinary committee hearing (the House disciplinary committee consists of MYHA Coaching Director Rob Keegan, House Coaching Director Fred Newton and House Commissioner Herb Perone; only two of those three members need be present to hold a hearing; a disciplinary committee decision can be appealed to the full MYHA Board). Club officials reserve the right to impose more severe disciplinary measures if they determine such measures are warranted.

· Checking

            There will be no checking at the Atoms, Mites and Squirts levels.

            There will be checking at the Peewees, Bantams and Midgets levels.

· Sportsmanship

A major goal of the MYHA House program is to teach sportsmanship. Players or coaches who engage in unsportsmanlike conduct will be subject to a minimum one-game suspension.  

· Tie Games

If a game is tied at the end of regulation play, and if time remaining in the ice slot permits, a 5-minute sudden death overtime period will be played. The teams will not change ends. The game will end when a goal is scored.

• Any overtime period will be considered part of the game and all unexpired penalties will remain in force.
• If either team declines to play in the overtime period, the game will be declared a loss for that team.
• In a tied game, each team will receive one point. If a team wins the game in overtime, that team will receive an additional point to evidence a win.

· Checking From Behind

A player who receives a penalty for checking from behind will be suspended for one game, in accordance with USA Hockey rules. A player who is credibly observed checking from behind but who does not receive a penalty will be given a verbal warning from the Commissioner for a first offense, and suspension(s) for additional offenses.

· Other House Policies

• During a game, the commissioner (or his designee) shall have complete authority and responsibility to administer all off-ice issues.
• A game will be considered official if two full periods have been played. If there is limited time in the ice slot that will not allow for the completion of a full third period, an abbreviated third period will be played. At the end of the second period, the referee will determine the length of the abbreviated third period (typically by dividing the amount of remaining ice time in half). Regardless of the amount of time left on the scoreboard clock during either the third period or overtime, the game will end when the Zamboni doors are opened by the rink management for the next ice cut
• The “visiting” team will be responsible for maintaining the official score sheet and must obtain the signatures of the referees and coaches. The white copy of the score sheet must be returned to the commissioner within 24 hours. The winning team will be responsible for returning the score sheet to the commissioner. Failure to return the score sheet to the commissioner in a timely way  will result in a forfeit for the winning team.
• The “home” team will be responsible for running the game clock.
• Each team must provide one parent to man the penalty boxes.
• Any player or coach required to serve a suspension of one or more games must be present at those games and sign the score sheet(s)

If you have any  questions please contact the MYHA House Bantam Commissioner or MYHA House Commissioner