OFFICIAL RULES & HOW TO PLAY
Game Format
4 vs 4, no goalies.
30-minute running-time games, split into two halves with a 2-minute halftime.
Maximum of 8 dressed players per game.
Roster limit: 10 players, but only 8 may dress for any given game.
Traditional wooden pond hockey goals and short boards keep the puck in play.
Each team is guaranteed 3 games.
Pond Hockey Style of Play
Pond hockey is different from indoor hockey:
Play the puck first.
Body contact may NOT be used to separate a player from the puck. Boxing out is allowed
No body checking.
No sticks or pucks above the waist.
Players may not lay down or kneel to block their goal.
Official Pond Hockey Goals
According to American Pond Hockey standards:
Goals are 6 feet (72") wide.
The two 12-inch scoring openings on either side of the center goalie-block are the only valid scoring areas.
A puck must pass through one of the side openings to count as a goal.
GOALTENDING RULES
No goalies. No goalie gear. No camping in front of the goal.
1st violation: warning
2nd violation: penalty shot
Further violations: automatic goal may be awarded
Any rostered player may take a penalty shot.
The shooting team retains possession after the attempt, regardless of result.
Starting Each Half
Standard start: “Hockey 1, Hockey 2, Hockey 3” faceoff.
Captains may mutually agree to alternate possessions instead.
Puck Out of Play
Possession goes to the non-offending team.
Inbounding player receives 10 feet of space before restarting play.
Scoring & Restarts
Goals may be scored from anywhere.
After scoring, the scoring team must retreat to their own half.
Play restarts immediately—no faceoff.
Equipment Requirements
Typical pond hockey uniform includes:
Helmet
Elbow pads
Gloves
Jock/Jill
Shin pads
Skates
Optional gear (allowed, but considered corny):
Breezers
Shoulder pads
Additional protective gear is permitted but not required.
Strict No-Fighting Rule
Fighting is strictly prohibited.
Any physical altercation is treated as public assault, and local police may be contacted.
Any player involved in a fight will be removed and may be banned from future APH events.
Penalties & Conduct
Dangerous play, intentional contact, or reckless behavior results in immediate removal for the rest of that game.
Team plays one player short for the remainder of the game.
Verbal abuse of officials, scorekeepers, or spectators is treated the same as a dangerous-play ejection.
A second ejection in the tournament = expulsion, and the team remains short-handed in all remaining games.
Playoff Overtime: Braveheart
Tied playoff games go to sudden-death Braveheart:
1 vs 1, puck drop, first goal wins
Tag-in substitutions allowed
No entering from a different bench location to gain advantage
Any penalty results in immediate forfeit
Rink Maintenance
Our rink crew resurfaces and maintains rinks throughout the day, but teams should arrive at least 10 minutes early to shovel and dry scrape their defensive end before each game. Shovels are provided at every rink.
Roster Rules
Rosters lock at team check-in.
Players may only compete for one team.
Any player appearing on multiple rosters will be ejected and may cause game forfeiture.
Score Verification
Captains must review and confirm scores with the scorekeeper after each game. Once posted, scores are final.
Forfeits
Winning team receives 3 points.
For playoff seeding, the winning team is assigned a score equal to their average goals per game played.
Division Rules & Game Schedule
Premier Division
Premier teams play pool games Friday and Saturday morning.
After pool play, the top 6 teams advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket.
Championship game: Saturday at 5 PM.
Open A & Open B Divisions
Open A and Open B teams play pool games Friday and Saturday.
After pool play, the top 4 teams in each division advance to semifinals on Sunday late morning, followed by the championship games.
Playoff SEEDING Criteria - TBA
Pool Play: Win = 2 points | Tie = 1 point | Loss = 0 points
Seeding Criteria: Pool Place (1) - Goal Differential (2) -
