TEAMS:
This season, QIHL teams were selected by the QIHL Executive through a draft. While we try to keep team sizes small to maximize playing time it is important for players to live up to the commitment they stated when they signed up. There are no trades between teams during the regular season; however the QIHL Executive reserves the right to make any changes necessary on the grounds of creating a more competitive league. In order to represent your team during the playoffs you must have showed up for at least half of the team's regular season games.

POINTS:
During the regular season each team will receive 2 points for a win, 1 point for a shootout loss, and 0 for a loss. If a team is forced to forfeit, the opposing team will win 1-0 and thus earn 2 points. If games are tied at the end of regulation time, each team will receive one point and will automatically go to a four-person shootout. Each player may only shoot once and at least one member of each sex must shoot for each team. Should the shootout be tied, the a one-shot sudden death round will ensue. A shootout win is worth 2 points while a loss is 1 point.

4-ASIDE:
A team at even strength will have four players on at a time, and must have at least one member of each sex on the court at all times. Should a team not have at least one member of each sex present, the team will play one person short for the entire game.

TIMINGS:
The games will consist of a 5-minute warm-up period, two 20-minute run time halves. There will be a 4-minute half time, and each team is entitled to one 30-second time out. Teams that are unable to start playing the game after the 5 minute warm up may be forced to forfeit the game.

BODY CONTACT:
This is a non – contact league. The definition of body contact is the intent of one player to separate the opposing from the ball by using his/her body. Therefore the intent of any attacking player should never be to contact the opposing player; rather it should be to retrieve the ball or to gain better body position. The efforts from players to gain better body position on the opposing player is where incidental contact can occur. This contact is inevitable; however excess contact of this nature can be called a penalty.

PINNING:
There is no pinning allowed in this league. You can identify pinning once a player takes a hand off his stick and leans on the opposing player. Pinning also includes pinning with the shoulder. In any instance if you see this happen give them two quick warnings and if they are still pinning the opposing player then penalize them.

STICK WORK:
Remind all participants that they are responsible for their own stick. Anything that is deemed excessive by the referees will be called a penalty.

'ICING' RULE:
If the ball is shot straight out and onto the stage from the far end, then the face off is in the far end. If it is shot straight out while in the attacking end (closer to the stage) then the drop is right on the line at half.

HIGH STICKING:
High sticking is defined as the stick coming above a player's waist. Penalties will be called for high sticking if necessary. If high sticking occurs during gameplay, the game will be stopped immediately and there will be a faceoff where the infraction occurs.

NO SLAPSHOTS:
For player safety, only wrist shots and snap shots are permitted now.

CONTROVERSY OVER A CALL:
'Team Captains are the only players that are to address the referee for a disputed call.

SHOOTOUT:
Shootouts will consist of 4 players from each team; one girl and three guys. The girl will shoot first, followed by the guys. If the shootout should continue past the first four shooters then the shootout becomes sudden death. Players who have already shot cannot shoot again until every player on their team has shot once. If a girl is selected to shoot, the opposing team must match with a girl shooter from their team. During the shootout the following rules apply:

• There is one shot – NO REBOUND

• It is NOT goalie touch; this means that if a player shoots the ball and it trickles through the goalie and into the net it is a goal

• Goalies must start on the goal line and can only move forward once the attacking player has touched the ball

• The attacking player must always have a forward motion – the ball does NOT have to always be moving forward. This permits fancy deking and the spinorama moves, if the attacking player is able to continue with his/her forward motion. Note that any backward motion or if the forward stops moving forward, the shot is nullified and NO GOAL is awarded

• Often times goalies poke check in this league; should the goalie foul the attacking player this results in a re shot, unless the attacking is still able to score.

MINOR PENALTIES:
2-minute minor penalties could be called for tripping, slashing, high-sticking, spearing, interference, rouging, charging, delay-of-game, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Should the referee feel infractions are serious enough they can award double-minor penalties (4 minutes).

FIGHTING:
Fighting will not be tolerated. Anyone involved in fighting will automatically receive a 5-minute major, be ejected from the game, and may be subject to further disciplinary action.

DURATION OF PENALTIES:
Minor penalties expire if a power play goal is scored. Major penalties do not expire until their duration is served.

OFFICIALS:
Referees are volunteers who are essential to keep our league running and must be respected at all times. Any player who makes inflammatory comments on the floor, the bench or within the realm of the game will be subject to an unsportsmanlike penalty and an automatic game misconduct. While we encourage some level of dialogue between referees and players during a game, should the dialogue become negative or personal in nature the player will receive one warning after which he or she can expect an unsportsmanlike penalty (to be served by a teammate) and game misconduct.

ATTENDANCE:
This year, QIHL is adopting a 3-strikes policy with regards to member attendance. Here are the details:

• If you are going to miss a game, please inform your captain.
• If you miss a game without having informed your captain:
• The first strike (first game missed without prior notice) is a freebie, but please don't let it happen again
• For the second strike, you will not be allowed to play in your team's next game
• After a third and final strike, you will not be allowed to play in any remaining QIHL games for the 2011-12 season (in this case, your membership fee will not be refunded).

SPORTSMANSHIP:
If it is determined that a player has been intentionally harmed (physically or otherwise) there will be diciplinary action taken by the QIHL Executive. There will be no exceptions to this rule.