The Professional Women’s Hockey League dropped the puck on its first game January 1, but not before the league made some updates to its rulebook.
As we reported back in November, the league is using a modified version of the NHL rulebook — with a few notable changes. A few more tweaks have been made since the league’s preseason camp.
One big one: a shorthanded goal ends a penalty. That’s right – a team that gives up a shorty will also lose the remaining time on the man advantage, under Rule 16.2.
“The entire PWHL has embraced the opportunity to be innovative with how our game is played,” said Jayna Hefford, Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. “After the pre-season evaluation camp, we surveyed general managers, coaches, players, and officials and received broad consensus that this new rule added excitement to the game and to special teams situations. I think fans are really going to enjoy the PWHL for its speed and skill in addition to its physicality and competitiveness.”
The PWHL has also opted to allow a certain degree of physicality in the game, including – in certain situations – body checking. From Rule 52:
In the PWHL “bodychecking” is allowed when there is a clear intention of playing the puck or attempting to “gain possession” of the puck with the exception from the situation described in this rule.
If two (2) players are in pursuit of the puck, they are reasonably allowed to push and lean into each other provided that “possession of the puck” remains the sole object of the two (2) players.
If two (2) or more players are competing for “possession of the puck”, they are not allowed to use the boards to make contact with an opponent to eliminate her from the play, push her into the boards, or pin her along the boards.
A player, who is stationary, is entitled to that area of the ice. It is up to the opponent to avoid body contact with such a player. If that player is stationed between the opponent and the puck, the opponent is obliged to skate around the stationary player.
If a player with the puck is skating directly at an opponent who is stationary, it is the obligation of the puck carrier to “avoid contact”. But, if the puck carrier makes every effort to “avoid contact” and the opponent moves into the puck carrier, that opponent will be assessed at least a Minor Penalty (2’) for an “illegal hit”.
Players are allowed to “hold their ground” any time that they have established their position on the ice. No player is required to move out of the way of an oncoming player to avoid a collision. Any move by a player to step or glide into an opposing player will be assessed at least a Minor Penalty (2’) for an “illegal hit”.
The PWHL’s inaugural game showed a more chippy, physical game than typically seen in international women’s hockey.
“I think it’s awesome to be able to have that physicality as long as it’s within the rules, not dangerous, no hits from behind,” New York’s Alex Carpenter said. “I thought the refs did a great job. I think everything they called was appropriate, and I love that they let the hits go.”
The PWHL standings will have a different look from the NHL, as teams will be awarded three points for a regulation win. Overtime/shootout wins will be worth two points, with overtime/shootout losses one point. Every game will be worth three points, giving teams extra incentive to win it in sixty.
It’s also worth noting that the trapezoid effectively does not exist in the PWHL. There’s no restricted area behind the net like there is in the NHL. Goalies can play the puck wherever they want — as long as it’s on their side of the center red line.
Additional rule notes from the PWHL:
- Game rosters shall be composed of up to twenty-one (21) players including nineteen (19) skaters and two (2) goaltenders.
- If the score is tied at the end of three (3) twenty (20) minute periods, the teams shall play an additional overtime period of not more than five (5) minutes with the team scoring first declared the winner. The overtime period shall be played with each Team at a numerical strength of three (3) skaters and one (1) goalkeeper.
- If still tied after overtime, the teams will proceed to a shootout. Each team will be given five shots unless the outcome is determined earlier in the shootout. After each team has taken five shots, if the score remains tied, the shootout will proceed to a “sudden death” format. A player is eligible at any time to take any number of shots and as often as the team chooses.
- Teams will be awarded three (3) points in the standings for a regulation win, two (2) points for an overtime or shootout win, one (1) point for an overtime or shootout loss, and zero (0) points for a regulation time loss.
- If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order:
- The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
- The greater number of games won, excluding games won in Overtime or by Shootout (i.e., ‘Regulation Wins’). This figure is reflected in the RW column.
- The greater number of games won, excluding games won by Shootout (i.e., ‘Regulation and Overtime Wins’). This figure is reflected in the ROW column.
- The greater number of games won by the Club in any manner (i.e., ‘Total Wins’). This figure is reflected in the W column.
- The greater number of points earned in games against each other among two or more tied clubs. For the purpose of determining standing for two or more Clubs that have not played an even number of games with one or more of the other tied Clubs, the first game played in the city that has the extra game (the ‘odd game’) shall not be included. When more than two Clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any ‘odd games’) shall be used to determine standing.
- The greater differential between goals for and against (including goals scored in Overtime or awarded for prevailing in Shootouts) for the entire regular season. This figure is reflected in the DIFF column.
- The greater number of goals scored (including goals scored in Overtime or awarded for prevailing in Shootouts) for the entire regular season. This figure is reflected in the GF column.
