Operations

1. Games are played on Monday and Wednesday evenings, with each team having at least one game per week (on average); the possibility of several weeks in the season two games per week.
2. Games are three 20-minute periods running time, with the last 2 minutes of the third period stop time regardless the score.
3. There is a 5 minute warm up and then the game will commence or the clock will start and time will run down. This ensures the late game will not be delayed or finish at too late an hour.
4. When a player is injured on the ice, after 30 seconds the clock will be stopped. This will not be charged as a time out to either team.
5. The league commences in early October, once the winter leagues have completed, and finishes in March/April. The schedule is fit into this period with the number of games determined by the number of teams.
6. There is a 2-3 week break over the Christmas period.
7. Current teams and their uniforms are:
   • Bombers - White with red and blue trim
   • Bears - Red with black trim
   • Pearly gates - Black with white trim
   • Chiefs - Blue jerseys & white jerseys (home & away)
   • Devils - Green
   • Rebels - White (Orange bibs when playing the Bombers)
8. Each team must nominate a team representative for the administration of the league.
9. Power Plays - when a team has a power play advantage during running time then there will be no line changes allowed during a stoppage of play. Officials will drop the puck as soon as possible to ensure power play time is not eroded through line changes.
10. All other rules pertaining to the game-play of ice hockey are adopted from the International Ice Hockey Federation rule book found here

Play-offs

1. The four top teams contest the play-offs after the regular season.
2. If teams are tied with equal points, the following will determine the standings:
   1. First - games played between the teams tied - most games won.
   2. Second - games played between the teams tied - goal differential.
   3. Third - games against the entire league - most games won.
   4. Fourth - games against the entire league - goal differential.
   5. Fifth - If teams are still tied after the above four criteria then a penalty shoot out, as per guideline 6 of this section, will be required before the commencement of the play-offs.
3. The first and second placed teams contest semi final A. The third and fourth placed teams contest semi final B. The loser of semi final A and the winner of semi final B will contest semi final C. The winners of semi A and semi final C will contest the grand final.
4. Play-off games will be three 20-minute periods running time, with the last 2 minutes of the third period stop time regardless the score.
5. If teams are tied after regulation time there will be two 5 minute sudden death overtime periods, running time - played 4 on 4.
6. If the scores remain tied after the overtime periods then a best of 5 penalty shoot out will apply. Each team will nominate 5 players and the order in which they will shoot. Each team shoots alternately in the nominated player order. If still tied after five shots per team, the shootout continues and the player order is repeated until there is a result after an equal number of shots.

Registration and Player Eligibility

1. Each team must have a minimum of 12 players, a maximum of 20 players over 18 years of age, which includes a goaltender, registered one week before the start of the season.
2. Players can only be registered to play for one team.
3. A father son rule allows players under 18 years of age to play with their father. If the son is playing in the AIHL and turns 18 then they will be an exception to continue to play in the league, see point 9 below.
4. Team lists must be circulated to each team representative prior to the start of the season, initial team list. If any players registering after the start of the season, the team list must be updated and re-circulated to all other team representatives.
5. A final team list must be circulated by the last game before the December break. This is the final team list and no new players are to be added after this time.
6. Any team playing with a player not registered for the summer league will forfeit the game and any points earned. Team representatives are responsible for ensuring their team is registered. If a team forfeits three games in the year due to unregistered players they will be asked to leave the league immediately.
7. For players to be eligible for the play-offs they must play in at least 6 regular season games and be listed on the final team list circulated by the last game in December.
   
   Below are two exceptions to this rule:
   1. Players registered and on the initial team list at the start of the season that are injured or for extreme personal circumstances have not played six games. This exception will usually be applied to players who have played in the league in prior years (not new possible ring ins).
   2. Goaltenders - for goaltenders to be eligible for the play-offs they just need to be registered for the summer league on any one of the team's final team lists.
8. As this is a recreational league, any team who does not have a goaltender for a game is able to use a registered goaltender from any of the other teams in the league.
9. Any player registered in the National League (AIHL) during the previous winter and has played in more than 6 AIHL games is not eligibly for the summer league.
   
   Below are the exceptions to this rule so as to ensure players who are nearing retirement from the AIHL or are at old-timers age are encouraged to join our league:
   1. Players who registered and played in the AIHL who are 35 years or older as at 31st December.
   2. Each team is allowed one under 35 year old AIHL player on their roster. The team finishing in last place the prior season is allowed two.
   3. Father son rule exception as long as the father continues to play.
   4. Goaltenders of any age registered in the AIHL.

Judiciary

1. If there is a need for a judiciary this will consist of the player representatives from each team.
2. Each player representative will have a vote on matters or penalties except the accused parties' team representative who will not have a vote.
3. The judiciary system will be conducted by e-mail so as to reach a quick decision.
4. All team representatives will be notified by e-mail and the onus is on the team representatives to make an e-mail address available.
5. The team representative will be responsible for determining if any suspension is pending at the end of each game and will be responsible for initiating the judiciary process the following day of the game. If the team representative takes no action the standard suspension will apply (as nominated in the NSW handbook).
6. A judiciary decision must be made on the Wednesday or Friday after the incident by 18:00 hours. Notification of the decision must be sent to the appropriate team representative by Wednesday or Friday, 18:00 hours.
7. If a decision has not been made in time an automatic 1 game suspension shall take place and the judiciary decision must be made on the immediate Monday after the original incident at 15:00 hours and notification sent to the appropriate team manager by that Monday, 15:00 hours.
8. A penalty can be decided by a minimum of 3 team representatives excluding the accused parties' representative and must be more than 50% agreed for the final decision.
9. One team representative involved in the meeting must be appointed to send notification to the accused parties' team representative.
10. Players who receive a game misconduct in the last 10 minutes of the game automatically get a one game suspension.
11. Player's who receive a match penalty at any time get an automatic one game suspension. The incident will also be referred to the team reps for possible further action.
12. Players who get a second game misconduct in the last 10 minutes during the season get an automatic 3 game suspension.

Operations

1. Games are played on Sunday Evenings in Erina and Monday nights (2 Mondays) at Castle Hill.
2. Games are three 20-minute periods running time at Castle Hill, and three 15-minute periods running time in Erina.
3. There is a 5 minute warm up and then the game will commence or the clock will start and time will run down. This ensures the late game will not be delayed or finish at too late an hour.
4. When a player is injured on the ice, after 30 seconds the clock will be stopped. This will not be charged as a time out to either team.
5. The league commences in early April, once the summer leagues have completed, and finishes in August/September. The schedule is fit into this period with the number of games determined by the number of teams.
6. Current teams and their uniforms are:
   
   - Pearly gates – Black with white trim
   – Rams – Yello jerseys with black trim (home & away)
   - Devils – Green
   - Flyers – Orange
   - Chiefs –White/blue
   
7. Each team must nominate a team representative for the administration of the league.

Playoffs

1. 2nd plays 3rd, Winner meets 1st in the final. To be eligible for playoffs players must play 10 games during the season.
2. If teams are tied with equal points, the following will determine the standings:
   
   First - Lowest number of forfeited games Second – Most wins in head to head competition.
   Third - Team goals plus /minus for the season.
   Fourth - Lowest goals against average for the season.

Referees and Timekeepers

Each team must have one referee available per game. Non-playing referees will be provided in the majority of instances but when only one is available the home team will be required to supply a ref. When none are available both teams will supply one ref. The home team will supply the timekeeper.

Central Coast: For the purposes of providing officials Central Coast will be considered the home team for all Erina games and will be considered the away team for all Castle Hill games.

Judiciary

The manager of each team will form the judiciary and diciplinary action will be agreed upon by all Managers except those that manage the player(s) in question. Judiciary matters will be conducted by email.

Rosters

No team shall carry more than 15 players on their roster including a goaltender. Players may be permanently replaced on a roster by notifying SIHL of the change. Current AIHL players under the age of 35 are not eligible to play. Players under the age of 18 are not eligible to play except by special permission from SIHL. Rosters must be submitted to SIHL by 28th March.

Fighting Rules

1. Instigator: If one player drops his gloves and starts a fight with another player the instigator will receive a match penalty (remainder of current game plus an additional game.)
2. Third man in: The third man in to any fight will recieve a match Penalty.
3. Fair fight: Players that simulataneously drop their gloves and start fighting will receive 5 minutes each for fighting but any player that continues to fight after the officials intervene or once the other player is in a vulnerable position on the ice will receive a minimum of a match penalty and may be subject to a further supsension