February 21, 2011
GMHL PLAYOFF RULES AND POLICIES ANNOUNCED!
February 21, 2011
GMHL ANNOUNCES RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR 2011 PLAYOFF COMPETITION!
The GMHL RUSSELL CUP PLAYOFFS get underway this week, with the Vaughan Wild visiting the Toronto Canada Moose in Thornhill on Wednesday afternoon, and as always, there is a necessity to inform everyone about this season’s specific playoff rules, regulations and policies regarding overtime and arena curfews. The GMHL has determined these policies are in the best interest of the league as a whole and fair to all. They are as follows: CURFEWS AND OVERTIME Due to the restriction of ice-time in some arenas, and the possible threat of an enforced curfews, combined with other arenas that will allow unlimited overtime, the GMHL has established a consistent policy to be followed at all games in the event of a tie after regulation time. a. All overtime will be played as 4 on 4 (skaters). b. If two teams are tied at the end of regulation, there will be a two-minute break, followed immediately by a 10-minute, sudden-death overtime period. c. If the teams are still tied, additional overtime will be determined by the arena’s policy on curfews and the decision of the Head Referee. i. NO CURFEW: Proceed with resurfacing the ice, and continue with 20-minute periods and intermissions until a winner is decided. ii. CURFEW: Proceed with a FIVE-MAN SHOOOUT until a winner is decided. Teams must use every skater on the roster before a player can shoot a second time, despite any discrepancy in the number of players dressed for each team. d. With all OT being played as 4 on 4, if a team is assessed penalties that would normally create a 2-man advantage in a 5 on 3 situation, the non-offending team will be allowed to ice a 5th skater to accommodate a 5 on 3 powerplay. At the first stoppage of play following the return of a 1-man advantage, the teams will remove additional players and return to 4 on 3. e. Each series will obviously respect the home ice advantage to the higher placed team in the event of a deciding game in each series. However, it must be understood the rotation of home and away games is subject to ice availability in each location and may or may not result in the higher placed team starting their series at home. PLEASE NOTE: For all games, the Head Referee must meet with representatives from both teams prior to the game to establish whether a curfew is a possibility at that arena. The Head Referee will designate the game appropriately on the game sheet before play begins ( NC or C circled). In the event that a ‘curfewed’ game ends quickly and the Head Referee believes there is time for another period, or portion of a period before a shootout would be necessary, he could have the teams play additional time in the interest of deciding a winner playing the game. In the event of a shootout, if time allows, the Head Referee may allow a brief scrape of the middle portion of the ice to provide for a better quality shootout, if the home team can make such arrangements with their facility.