# Hockey: Canada's Royal Winter Game/Chapter V

CHAPTER V.
LAWS OF THE GAME.
THE rules of hockey in Quebec, Ontario and in the United States differ so slightly that perhaps it is not necessary to give them, but for the convenience of all, they have been put in so that whatever difference does exist may readily be seen by the reader.
RULES OF THE CANADIAN AMATEUR HOCKEY LEAGUE.
Sec. 1. A Team shall be composed of seven players who shall be bona fide members of the Clubs they represent. No player shall be allowed to play on more than one team in the same series during a season, except in a case of bona fide change of residence.
Sec. 2. The game shall be commenced and renewed by a face in the centre of the rink. Rink must be at least 112 feet by 58 feet. Goals shall be six feet wide and four feet high.
definition of a face
The Puck shall be faced by being placed between the sticks of two opponents, and the Referee then calling "play."
The goals shall be placed at least ten feet from the edge of the ice.
Sec. 3. Two half hours, with an intermission of ten minutes between, will be the time allowed for matches, but no stops of more than fifteen minutes will be allowed. A match will be decided by the team winning the greatest number of games during that time. In case of a tie after playing the specified two half hours, play will continue until one side secures a game, unless otherwise agreed upon between the captains before the match. Goals shall be changed after each half hour.
Sec. 4. No change of players shall be made after a match has commenced, except for reasons of accidents or injury during the game.
Sec. 5. Should any player be injured during the first half of the match and compelled to leave the ice, his side shall be allowed to put on a spare man from the reserve to equalize the teams; should any player be injured during the second half of the match the captain of the opposing team shall have the option of dropping a player to equalize the teams or allow his opponents to put on a man from the reserve. In the event of any dispute between the captains as to the injured player's fitness to continue the game, the matter shall at once be decided by the referee.
Sec. 6. Should a game be temporarily stopped by the infringement of any of the rules, the captain of the opposite team may claim that the puck be taken back and that a face take place where it was last played from before such infringement occurred.
The rules copied above need no explanation, but section 7 is more involved.
Sec. 7. "When a player hits the puck, any one of the same side, who at such moment of hitting is nearer the opponent's goal-line, is out of play and may not touch the puck himself, or in any way whatever ​prevent any other player from doing so, until the puck has been played. A player should always be on his own side of the puck."
This rule, though clear enough to a person who thoroughly understands the game, might be a little bothersome to one who does not. It means that whenever a man is nearer to his opponents' goals than one of his own team who has the puck, he is off-side, and that he may not touch the rubber until he is nearer to his own goals, i.e., farther from his opponents', in the direction of his own, than his assistant who has the puck, unless it has touched or been struck by an adversary, in which case he may secure it. When a man is off-side he is practically out of the game and until he gets or is got into play, he may not touch the puck and must not purposely prevent an opponent from getting it, or obstruct his way.
The last clause in the rule is meant to prevent players from "lagging" off-side. When the puck has been lifted down the ice it is the duty of every forward towards whose goals the rubber has been sent, to follow immediately and quickly, in order to place himself in play, and not lag in the middle of the rink until his defence men shall have returned it. The practice of "lagging" off-side is indulged in in order to gain a rest, but it renders the game slow and uninteresting and fosters off-side play.
Sec. 8. The puck may be stopped but, not carried or knocked on, by any part of the body, nor shall any player close his hand on, or carry the puck to the ice in his hand. No player shall raise his stick above the shoulder, except in lifting the puck. Charging from behind, tripping, collaring, kicking or shinning shall not be allowed, and for any infringement of these rules, the Referee may rule the offending player off the ice for that match, or for such portion of actual playing time as he may see fit.
Sec. 9. When the puck goes off the ice or a foul occurs behind the goals it shall be taken by the Referee ​to five yards at right angles from the goal line and there faced. When the puck goes off the ice at the sides it shall be taken by the Referee to five yards at right angles from the boundary line and there faced.
Sec. 10. The goal keeper must not during play, lie, kneel or sit upon the ice, but must maintain a standing position.
Sec. 11. Goal shall be scored when the puck shall have passed between the goal posts from in front below an imaginary line across the top of posts.
Sec. 12. Hockey sticks shall not be more than three inches wide at any part.
Sec. 13. The puck must be made of vulcanized rubber, one inch thick all through and three inches in diameter.
Sec. 14. The captains of the contesting teams shall agree upon a referee and two umpires (one to be stationed behind each goal), which positions shall not be changed during a match, and two timekeepers. In the event of the captains failing to agree on umpires and timekeepers the referee shall appoint same.
Sec. 15. All disputes during the match shall be decided by the Referee, and he shall have full control of all players and officials from commencement to finish of matches, inclusive of stops, and his decision shall be final.
Sec. 16. All questions as to games shall be settled by the Umpires, and their decision shall be final.
Sec. 17. In the event of any dispute as to the decision of an Umpire or Time-keeper, the Referee shall have power to remove and replace him.
ONTARIO HOCKEY ASSOCIATION.
RULES OF THE GAME.
game.
1. The game is played on ice by teams of seven on each side, with a puck made of vulcanized rubber, one inch thick all through and three inches in diameter.
sticks.
Hockey sticks shall not be more than three inches wide at any part, and not more than thirteen inches long in the blade.
goal.
A goal is placed in the middle of each goal line, composed of two upright posts, four feet in height, placed six feet apart, and at least five feet from the end of the ice.
The goal posts shall be firmly fixed. In the event of a goal being displaced or broken, the Referee shall blow his whistle and the game shall not proceed until the post is replaced.
match.
1. Each side shall have a captain (a member of his team), who, before the match, shall toss for choice of goals.
2. Each side shall play on equal time from each end. The duration of championship matches shall not be less than one hour, exclusive of stoppages. The team scoring the greater number of goals in that time shall be declared the winner of the match. If at the end of that time the game is a draw, ends shall be changed and the game continued for ten minutes, each side playing five minutes from each end with a rest of five minutes between, and if ​neither side has scored a majority of games, similar periods of ten minutes shall be played in the same way until one side shall have scored a majority of goals.
time-keepers.
3. Time-keepers shall be appointed, one by each captain, to keep the time during match.
referee.
4. There shall be only one Referee for a match, and in no case shall he belong to either of the competing clubs. He shall enforce the rules, adjudicate upon disputes or cases unprovided for by rule; appoint the goal Umpires; control the Time-keepers; keep the score; and at the conclusion of the match declare the result. The puck shall be considered in play until the Referee stops the game, which he may do at any time, and which he must do at once when any irregularity of play occurs, by sounding a whistle. His decision shall be final.
score.
5. A goal shall be scored when the puck shall have passed between the goal posts from in front and below an imaginary line drawn across the tops of the posts.
goal umpires.
Goal Umpires shall inform the Referee when a goal is scored. Their decision shall be final.
face.
6. The game shall be started and renewed by the Referee calling "play" after having placed the puck on its larger surface on the ice, between the sticks of two of the players, one from each team, who are to face it. After a goal has been scored the puck shall be played on the centre of the ice.
off-side.
7. A player shall always be on his side of the puck. A player is off-side when he is in front of the puck, or when the puck has been hit, touched or is being run ​with, by any of his own side behind him (i.e., between himself and the end of the rink near which his goal is placed.
A player being off-side is put on-side when the puck has been hit by, or has touched the dress or person of any player of the opposite side, or when one of his own side has run in front of him, either with the puck or having played when behind him.
If a player when off-side plays the puck, or annoys or obstructs an opponent, the puck shall be faced where it was last played before the off-side play occurred.
knocking-on.
8. The puck may not be stopped with the hand except by the goal keeper (see rule 11) but may be stopped, but not carried, or knocked on by any other part of the body.
charging, tripping, etc.
9. No player shall raise his stick above his shoulder. Charging from behind, tripping, collaring, kicking, cross-checking, or pushing shall not be allowed. And the Referee must rule off the ice, for any time in his discretion, a player who, in the opinion of the Referee, has deliberately offended against the above rule.
when the puck leaves the ice.
10. When the puck goes off the ice behind the goal line it shall be brought out by the Referee to a point five yards in front of the goal line, on a line at right angles thereto, from the point at which it left the ice, and there faced.
When the puck goes off the ice at the side, it shall be similarly faced three yards from the side.
goal-keeper.
11. The goal-keeper must not during play, lie, sit or kneel upon the ice: he may, when in goal, stop the puck with his hands, but shall not throw or hold it. He may ​wear pads but must not wear a garment such as would give him undue assistance in keeping goal. The Referee must rule off the ice, for any time in his discretion, a player who, in the opinion of the Referee, has offended deliberately against this rule.
change of players.
12. No change of players shall be made after a match has commenced, except by reason of accident or injury during the game.
injured player.
13. Should any player be injured during a match, break his skate, or from any other accident be compelled to leave the ice, the opposite side shall immediately drop a man to equalize the teams. In the event of any dispute, the matter shall at once be decided by the Referee.
stoppages.
AMATEUR HOCKEY LEAGUE OF NEW YORK.
ICE HOCKEY RULES.
rule i.
Team.—A team shall be composed of seven players, who shall be bona-fide members of the club they represent.
rule ii.
Game.—The game shall be commenced and renewed by a face in the centre of the rink. Rink shall be at least 112 feet by 58 feet.
rule iii.
Goals.—A goal is placed in the middle of each goal line, composed of two upright posts, four feet in height, placed six feet apart, and at least five feet from the end of the ice. The goal posts shall be firmly fixed. In the event of a goal post being displaced or broken, the Referee shall blow his whistle, and the game shall not proceed until the goal is replaced.
rule iv.
Face.—The puck shall be faced by being placed between the sticks of two opponents, and the Referee then calling play.
rule v.
rule vi.
Change of Players.—No change of players shall be made after a game has commenced, except for reasons of accidents or injury during the game.
rule vii.
Should any player meet with an accident during a game and be compelled to leave the ice, his side shall have the option of putting on a spare man from the reserve to equalize the teams. In the event of any dispute between the captains as to such player's fitness to continue the game, the matter shall at once be decided by the Referee.
rule viii.
Stoppages.—Should a game be temporarily stopped by the infringement of any of the rules, the captain of ths opposite team may claim that the puck be taken back and a face take place where it was last played from before such infringement occurred.
rule ix.
Off-side.—When a player hits the puck, any one of the same side who at such moment of hitting is nearer the opponent's goal line is off-side, and may not touch the puck himself or in any way whatever prevent any other player from doing so until the puck has been played. A player must always be on his own side of the puck.
rule x.
rule xi.
Puck Off Ice.—When the puck goes off the ice behind the goal line, or a foul occurs behind the goal line, the puck shall be brought by the Referee to a point five yards in front of the goal line, at right angles from the point at which it left the ice, and there faced. When the puck goes off the ice at the side it shall be similarly faced three yards from the side.
rule xii.
Goal-keeper.—The goal-keeper must not, during play, lie, kneel or sit upon the ice, but must maintain a standing position.
rule xiii.
Score.—A goal shall be scored when the puck shall have passed between the goal posts from in front and below an imaginary line across the top of posts.
rule xiv.
Sticks.—Hockey sticks shall be made of wood, with no harder substance attached thereto, and shall not be more than three inches wide at any point.
rule xv.
Puck.—The puck must be made of vulcanized rubber, one inch thick all through and three inches in diameter.
rule xvi.
Officials.—The captains of the contesting teams shall agree upon a Referee, a Timekeeper and two Umpires, one to be stationed behind each goal, which positions shall not be changed during a game except by mutual consent.
rule xvii.
Referee.—All disputes on the ice shall be settled by the Referee, and his decision shall be final.
rule xviii.
CHAMPIONSHIP RULES.
rule i.
The season shall be between December 1 and April 1.
rule ii.
The championship shall be decided by a series of games, a schedule of which shall be arranged at the annual meeting. The club winning the most games shall be declared champions.
rule iii.
All championship games shall be played on covered rinks, arranged for at the annual convention.
rule iv.
The League shall offer a championship trophy, the winning club to hold same and be recognized as champions.
rule v.
Any team making default shall forfeit its right to compete for the championship for that season, and all games played by defaulting team shall be declared off.
rule vi.
A Referee should be decided upon by the captains forty-eight hours before a game.
rule vii.
rule viii.
Captains before a game shall toss for choice of goals.
rule ix.
A player must be a bona fide member of the club he represents at least thirty (30) days before he is eligible to compete in championship games. No player shall play in an Amateur Hockey League schedule game who, during the then current season, has played with another club, in a recognized Hockey Association, without special permission of the Executive.
rule x.
All clubs must register with the Secretary of the League the colors of their playing uniform, and no two clubs shall be permitted to have uniforms of the same color. The order of being admitted to League membership shall determine choice of colors.