EQUIPMENT (Sask Ball Hockey Leagues DO NOT provide players with goal or player equipment.)
MANDATORY - Gloves, Helmet, Stick and Shoes
Helmets
CSA Approved ice hockey helmet with face cage if under 18.
Gloves
CSA Approved hockey gloves or D-Gel Ball Hockey (not broomball) gloves. Lacrosse gloves with an open palm are not permitted.
Ice hockey stick
Composite, wood, aluminum, etc are permitted;
Plastic blades or any other type of non-ice hockey related stick are not permitted.
NOT MANDATORY, BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - Elbow Pads, Shin pads & Protective Cup
Elbow pads
Not many players use elbow pads but they will help if landed on, they must be covered by your jersey
Shin Pads
Ball Hockey or Soccer Style shin pads are recommended. Ice hockey shin pads are very bulky and will restrict movement and running, they also must be covered.
Protective Cup
For obvious reasons this is very highly recommended.
GOALIE EQUIPMENT: ALL MANDATORY
Helmets with face cage (cats eyes not permitted), chest and arm pieces, blocker & glove, hockey pants, protective cup and goaltender leg pads all adhering to CHA regulations and guidelines.
Exceptions for using street hockey gear will be granted for those using approved street hockey gear in lower tiers of adult and youth leagues, please note that the ball can reach speeds over 100 mph and it is in the goalies best interest to use standard ice hockey equipment.
Footwear All standard footwear will be acceptable in the form of running shoes. Sandals, flip flops, etc will not be permitted.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Most of the Rules of Ball Hockey mirror those of ice hockey, or what you are already familar with, this is not meant to be a comprehensive list. However, there are a number of special rules that you should be aware of if you have never played SBHL Ball Hockey before
The SBHL will not tolerate fighting, intent to injure or abuse of officials and will provide all team reps with a suspension and fine list that will be enforced in the event that any of the above occur.
MINIMAL CONTACT
Although the term non-contact is used for ball hockey a more accurate depiction would be the term minimal contact. There is no body checking, however, there is always a bit of bumping or light pushing amongst players to gain body position between them, the opponent and the ball. There is absolutely no stick work tolerated in the sport.
FLOATING BLUE LINE
This method of offside is exclusive to ball hockey and heavily promotes offense, as the offensive zone is very large and extends from the center line all the way to the end boards in the defensive zone.
Offides & "Floating Blue Line"
Ball Hockey mirrors international hockey in that there is no 2 line pass.
However, the largerst difference between Ball Hockey and most forms of Ice Hockey is the "Floating Blue Line" that regulates offides in the offensive zones.
Floating Blue Line
1. Players enter the offensive zone the same way they do in ice hockey, ball before the ball carrier and all team members.
2. Once they gain the offensive zone it enlarges and the offensive zone becomes from the center line in. (in ice hockey the offensive zone is only the blue line in)
3. The defensive team must clear the ball past half, once this is done everything resets and you must enter the zone again the same way you did in step #1.
The floating blue line creates a lot of room for passing setting up positional play and overall game space. The biggest area of the game that it changes is power plays.
PERIODS
SBHL Ball Hockey games are two 20 minute time periods, with a 5 minute warm-up prior to game start-up. It is running time in the first half and stop time in the second.
In regular season play, a sudden death shoot out will occur with each team selecting three shooters.If there is still a tie after the three shooters, teams will rotate using one shooter per team, all players must shoot before the original shooters can shoot again.
In playoffs it will be ten minute halves of 4 on 4 for first 10 minutes and then 3 on 3 until a goal is scored.
HIGH STICKING & STICKING INFRACTIONS
High sticking the ball (touching the ball with your stick at a height greater than 4' (or above the crossbar) is a 2 minute penalty. Hence, it's best to rid yourself of the habit of chasing a ball in the air with your stick (Street Hockey players - beware!)
- This rule is great for keeping stickwork to a minimum
Stick Infractions
All stick in fractions come with a minimum penalty of 4 minutes. High sticking involving injuries will result in a 5-minute major and a game misconduct, and review from a league official.
In the 4 minute stick infraction penalty the player will serve all 4 minutes regardless if a goal is scored .
If a goal is scored that players team will receieve another player on the floor, however, he or she will serve the full four minutes.
3 Penalty Game Ejection
Any three penalties in a game will earn a game ejection.
Fines and Suspensions
Fighting, intent to injure and ref abuse will not be tolerated in our leagues.Fines are not used in youth leagues, unless it is by a parent or coach.
For a full detailed list of suspensions please visit the Saskatchewan Ball Hockey League website at www.saskballhockey.com
