Gold Line Hockey Official Playing Rules

  1. USA Hockey adult league rules will be followed unless otherwise modified by Gold Line Hockey. League rules will take precedence over any differences between Gold Line Hockey rules and the USA Hockey rulebook.
  2. Warmups: All games will consist of one (1) 5-minute warmup period. 
  3. Note: It should be noted that the warmup clock for all games will begin at the beginning of your scheduled ice time, or as soon as the zamboni doors are closed, regardless of whether either team is ready to take the ice.
  4. NO GAME shall begin without a minimum of 5 skaters and a goalie for each team. If a team does not have enough skaters or a goalie at the conclusion of the warmup period, another 5 minutes will be placed on the clock, and the clock started to wait for the players and/or goalie. The team short player(s) will be assessed a delay of game penalty to start the game. If at the conclusion of the 2nd 5-minute period the team is still short player(s), the 14-minute 1st period clock will be put on the game clock, and the clock will begin running until the team has at least 5 skaters and a goalie. This rule includes playoff games.
  5. Period Length: All  games will consist of three (3) 14-minute periods. All periods will be stop clock with the following exceptions:
  6. Running clock will commence any time in the 2nd period if the goal differential is seven (7) goals or more.
  7. Running clock will commence any time in the 3rd period if the goal differential is five (5) goals or more.
  8. Intermissions: Intermissions will be one (1) minute in length between all periods.
  9. Overtime: There will be no overtime period in any regular season game. Any regular season game tied at the end of regulation time will go directly to a 3-player shootout. The home team will choose whether to shoot first or second. If a player is serving a penalty at the end of the period preceding the shootout, they are NOT eligible to shoot in the shootout. If a winner is not determined after the 3-player shootout, it will proceed to 1v1 shootouts until a winner is determined. Ties at the end of playoff games will be resolved in the following manner until a winner is determined:
  10. Sudden death 5-minute 4v4 overtime
  11. Sudden death 5-minute 3v3 overtime
  12. 5-player shootout
  13. 1v1 shootouts
  14. Note: All eligible players must shoot in a shootout before a player can shoot a 2nd time
  15. Timeouts: One (1) 60-second timeout per team per game is permitted.
  16. Standings: Standings will be calculated as follows:
  17. 2 points for a win
  18. 1 point for a shootout loss
  19. 0 points for a regulation loss
  20. Offsides: Delayed offsides will be observed for all games
  21. Icing: Blue line icing will be observed for all games
  22. Faceoffs: All faceoffs will occur at one of the nine (9) dedicated faceoff locations
  23. Goals: (C3 division only) No player is permitted to score more than three (3) goals in one game. Any goal scored by a player that has reached the goal limit will be disallowed, and the ensuing faceoff will be taken to the nearest neutral zone face off location. If in the referee’s discretion, the puck entered the net due to the opposing team’s actions and the last attacking player to touch the puck has 3 goals, the goal will stand. A player with 3 goals may still shoot the puck on net looking for a tip or rebound without being penalized. However, any player with 3 goals that, in the referee’s discretion, shoots the puck at their attacking net to ‘harass’ or ‘intimidate’ the opposing goalkeeper will be assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct penalty.
  24. Body checking: All games are no-checking, however they are not no contact. Incidental and reasonable body contact may occur throughout the course of normal play. As long as it is reasonable and within the spirit of the game, body contact will not be penalized. With that being said, Gold Line Hockey's #1 priority is the safety of all participants. We instruct all on-ice officials to strictly enforce penalties for any unnecessary, avoidable or reckless body contact or body checking.
  25. High Sticking: A double minor penalty may be assessed, at the referee's discretion, in lieu of a major penalty for high sticking in the event an injury (blood drawn, etc.) occurs as the result of a high sticking infraction.
  26. Fighting: Fighting is strictly prohibited during Gold Line Hockey games. Any player who is assessed a penalty for fighting will be immediately ejected from the game and suspended from any future games until the incident can be reviewed by Gold Line Hockey admin. The penalties for fighting will be progressive, and will be at minimum:
  27. 1st occurrence: Three (3) game suspension
  28. 2nd occurrence: Ten (10) game suspension
  29. 3rd occurrence: Expulsion from Gold Line Hockey
  30. Note: Any player who leaves the bench to join an altercation will be assessed a game misconduct penalty, immediately removed from the game, and will be suspended for 2 games in addition to any other penalties or suspension stemming from the altercation.
  31. Penalties: All minor penalties will be two (2) minutes in length. All major penalties will be five (5) minutes in length. All misconduct penalties will be ten (10) minutes in length.
  32. Any player assessed three (3) penalties during the same game will be ejected from that game. They are not suspended for any future games. Note: A double minor penalty (like high-sticking for example) is two separate penalties.
  33. Any player assessed a major penalty will also receive an automatic game misconduct penalty. The offending player will be immediately removed from the game and will not be allowed to participate in any Gold Line Hockey games until the incident can be reviewed for any disciplinary action. Disciplinary actions may include suspension or expulsion from the league at the discretion of Gold Line Hockey admin.


Revised: 09/29/2026