ICE LINE MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAYING GUIDELINES

·         League divided into divisions:

• Regular Season consists of 16 games per team.  The teams in groups of 8 in each division will advance into a festival style playoff round.  Play in games might be required of the lower level teams to reach a grouping of 8 team.
• Team trophies and individual medals will be awarded to league champions and runners-up for each division.
• Team name for each division champion will be permanently placed on hanging banners at Ice Line.
• Each division will have an All-Star Game.

• Except for petitioned exceptions, it is required that every player on a team attends one of that teams approved feeder schools
• Any player that attends the approved school in grades 5 through 8.
• Petitioned players are illegal until approved by the commissioner in writing.
• Petitioned players can be removed from the league with a coach’s quorum, when called for by the League Commissioner.
• If a player, that does not attend an approved feeder school, plays in any game of that team, and has not been granted and exception, via petition, by the commissioner, it will result in a forfeit for that and every game the illegal player played in

• Any public intermediate school that feeds the sponsor high school.
• Any public elementary school that feeds an approved intermediate school.
• Any student living within the public school district boundaries that attends a private/parochial school in that district, only if there is not an approved private/parochial school team in the league.  If there is an approved private/parochial school team in the league “Private/Parochial Schools has priority”.
•  Any Home-Schooled or Special Education child that lives within the sponsor high school’s school district.

• Any student within the public school district where the private/parochial school is located, only if there is not an approved public school team in the league.  If there is an approved public school team in the league “Public School has priority”.
• Each school team should submit a list of requested feeder schools to the league commissioner by July 1st. 
• The commissioner will approve or disapprove each feeder school.  In order to list a school as a feeder part of the graduating class must go on to the Private/Parochial high school.
• A complete list of approved feeder schools for each team will be posted on this web site by September 15th.  Should an additional school need to be added between September 15th and December 1st of each year, it must be done in writing to the league commissioner and is not approved until a written response is received from the commissioner.

• No regular swinging of players between AAA/AA, A, or B teams if a team has more than one team in the league with the exception of Goaltenders.  In the event a team feels it is imperative to swing a player up for one game due to illness, injuries, or shortage of players, that team must add this player to the sign in sheet.  Players and goaltenders cannot swing down. Player(s) swinging must be listed on the sign in sheet.  Swinging is limited to 8 games for any one player for the season, including playoffs. See goaltenders under rules section. If a player plays in a 9th game he is frozen on the upper teams roster.
• JV players are permitted to play and be rostered for the middle school league as long as they are in 5th thru 8th grade.
• Teams may roster up to 25 players. However, teams may only dress up to 20 players per game.  Rosters, including player jersey numbers, must be on an official Ice Line Middle School League Roster form and are due by Teams first game.  Final rosters are due by December 31st and are frozen after the December 31st date.
• If a team adds a player to their roster prior to the December 31st deadline, it must be done in writing and must be approved, in writing, by the commissioner before they play in any game. 
• After the season has started, a club may move a player from one team to another team, but they must notify the league commissioner of the roster change, and once done, the change is permanent.  At no time can the player play for 2 teams at once.  Player movement will not be permitted after December 31st.  Player movement from one club to another club shall be done on a case-by-case basis.
• Players must play in at least 8 game in our league to be eligible for playoffs.
• All teams must be USA Hockey registered.  Registration questions should be directed to Tony Montagna, USA Hockey Atlantic District Registrar at 215-322-4320.
• All coaches must be registered with USA Hockey.  They must have at least a Level 2 level coaching credential.  Registration questions should be directed to the current Atlantic District Coaching Program Director. http://www.atlantic-district.org/coaching.php

• 5th through 8th graders permitted.
• This division is for 1^st team entries
• Checking allowed.
• The top two to four teams from the AAA/AA division will playoff for the AAA Championship. AAA playoff series are  (1 vs. 4)(2 vs. 3) best of three format and a best of three format for the championship.
• All Teams will compete in a "Festival" style playoff with no teams eliminated.

• 5th through 8th graders permitted.
• This division is for Hardship team entries or new school team entries and must be approved by commissioner.
• Checking allowed.
• All Teams will compete in a "Festival" style playoff with no teams eliminated.

• 5th through 8th graders permitted (8th graders and all club players must be petitioned) Eligibility will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis.
• This division is for beginner and younger level teams. Teams must Petition for this level and Rosters must be approved.
• Checking and allowed.
• All Teams will compete in a "Festival" style playoff with no teams eliminated.

• 5th through 8th graders permitted (8th graders and all club players must be petitioned) Eligibility will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis.
• No Checking Allowed.
• League is designed for younger, weaker or beginner teams.
• This division is for 2nd or 3rd team entries.
• All Teams will compete in a "Festival" style playoff with no teams eliminated.

• All games will consist of 3 13-minute periods following a 4-minute warm-up.  No coaches are permitted to be on the ice during warm-up or at anytime during the game except when attending to an injured player.
• No curfews, all games played to completion.
• All teams must be prepared to play 15 minutes prior to scheduled game time. Ice Line Signed rosters must be completed and given to the scorekeeper before the warm up clock has started to count down. Failure to have roster ready will result in a bench minor penalty for delay of the game.  Both Players and coaches must sign in on the sign in sheets
• Slap Shots are allowed in all divisions
• Mercy rule - At any time a team is trailing by 5 or more goals the trailing team MAY request a running clock. The running clock can be stopped by the trailing team after they have scored enough goals to get back down below trailing by five goals.
• A team will have 5 skaters and a goalie or 6 skaters to start a game.  If a team is unable to field a starting line-up within 10 minutes of the scheduled starting time, a forfeit will be awarded to the other team, and they are permitted to use the remaining ice time for practice.
• No players may swing down. No exceptions.
• Goaltenders: If a team does not have a goaltender for a scheduled game. That team may bring a goaltender up from their club’s lower division ILMSHL team. If the club does not have a lower division team in the ILMSHL, they may borrow a goaltender from another team in the same division. The team borrowing the goaltender must obtain approval from the borrowed goaltender’s coach, and also notify the league commissioner.
• All games will be scheduled with 2 refs.  In the event only 1 ref shows up, the game will still be considered official and must be played.
• Coaches copy of score sheet can be printed from the web at any time after the game.
• Please have coaches check the master hard copy of the score sheet at the end of a game for penalties, scoring, etc.  Once the score sheet is submitted, it will be considered official, and no scoring or penalty changes will be accepted.
• If a coach wishes to protest a game, it must be stated on the score sheet along with a brief description as to why.  A follow-up letter should then be submitted to the league commissioner.  No protest will be accepted on a referee call/no call.  (Except for a Major or Match Penalty).  Protests will not be permitted if not noted on score sheet before both coaches’ sign it.  (Exception to this is if a team later finds out the other team used an illegal player against them.)
• Penalties will be 1.5 minutes for minors, 5 minutes for majors and 10 minutes for misconducts.
• If a player receives a 10-minute misconduct penalty within the last five minutes of a game, that player will be suspended for the first period of the next game.  If a player receives a misconduct penalty with more than five minutes to play, the remaining time to be served will not carry. IN THE LAST 5 MINUTES - If a player receives a 5 minute major that carries an automatic game misconduct, it shall be treated like a game misconduct (player will sit next game only). If a player receives a 5 minute major that does not carry the automatic game misconduct penalty, he will sit first period of the next game.
• All games will be played by USA Hockey rules.
• If a player/coach receives a major penalty for a different USA Hockey team he/she plays on, it does not carry over into the Ice Line Middle School League.
• Match penalties do carry over to the ILMSL as well as all USA Hockey teams that player is rostered with.

• If there is a conflict in jersey colors, the designated home team has 1st priority.  If 1 team has 2 sets of jerseys, they are required to switch to a contrasting color.  If neither team has a 2nd color jersey, the designated visiting team will be required to wear pinnies. (Available at the Ice Line office.)

• Petitioning the league for a player exception must be done in writing to the league commissioner. 
• A player may not play on a team until that team has the commissioner’s approval in writing.
• It will be at the sole discretion of the league Commissioner and/or President to determine the approved feeder schools, eligibility of any player and approval/disapproval of any petition.  It is the intent of the ILMSHL to have pure teams.