Hamilton Girls Ball Hockey League

 Rules and Regulations

Ball hockey-specific rules

Most of the rules for ball hockey are exactly the same as they are for ice hockey for minors. The basic game is played the same way, with the following exceptions:

The "Floating Blue Line" Offside

In ball hockey, once the ball has entered the attacking zone onside (that is, it crosses the blue line before any players have entered the zone), the attacking zone expands to half the playing surface. That means once the team is onside, the defending team will have to get the ball over the red line (centre-floor) in order to clear the zone. This increase helps game flow by keeping play in the attacking zone where it would otherwise be too easy to clear the ball out of the zone, in contrast to a puck which is less easy to move out of the zone quickly

Stick infractions

In ball hockey, because of the increased incidents of the ball rising off the floor, great precaution has to be taken with sticks. In Ball Hockey, all stick infractions (high-sticking, slashing, cross-checking) carry with a double minor penalty, and the act of high-sticking the ball (touching the ball with your stick above your shoulders) carries a 2 min penalty as opposed to a simple stoppage of play. See more on penalties below.

Game Play

UNDER 9

At this level, the game takes place on the entire playing surface. Shifts are set at 2:00, sounded by the arena horn, with three (3) 10 minute or two (2) 15 minute periods constituting a game. Many of the players at U8 level are still learning to play with offsides, but they are enforced. Faceoffs are taken for stoppages at the appropriate face-off dot. Coaches are not allowed on the playing surface during play.

UNDER 12, UNDER 15, and UNDER 18

At U12 and older, the players change "on the fly" with three (3) 10 minute periods. All penalties are served as normal. 

HGBHL Penalties

NON-CONTACT

At all levels, the HGBHL is a non-contact league. In fact, all ball hockey is a non-contact sport.