November 2025
#2 and #4 (Mighty Ducks) suspended two games for match penalties
#16 (Hawks) suspended two games for match penalty
December 12, 2025
Matt Tedford (Orange Crush) suspended two games for fighting (December 19, January 9)
Dalton Callaghan (Copper Cobras) suspended two games for fighting + one game for instigator (December 19, January 9, January 16)
Evangelical Church Hockey League
Rules
The Evangelical Church Hockey League, known also as the ECHL, in Belleville, Ontario is a recreational hockey league comprised of teams generally affiliated with Quinte area evangelical churches.
LEAGUE EXECUTIVE
1.1 Each team will nominate a representative to be on the league executive and each representative will have full voting privileges.
1.2 The Treasurer of the league will provide financial statements to the executive.
1.3 The executive will have complete jurisdiction for the operation of the league and shall render decisions in all matters of dispute. Decisions of the executive are binding on all players, teams, and officials of the league.
TEAMS
2.1 For the 2025-2026 season the ECHL will be comprised of eight (8) teams and will be known as the following:
Bellevue Pelicans Copper Cobras
Bolts Pirates
Hawks Wesleyan Warriors
Kings Orange Crush
2.2 Expansion of the league (i.e. new teams) will require unanimous consent of the league executive.
2.3 The current seven teams will equally divide the total cost of operating the league. Each player must pay his fees to his / her team representative within the time frame given by the team. There will be no refunds. Teams have until week 5 of the regular season to pay 100% of their team share of the cost to operate the league. Teams that have not submitted their payment to the league by the deadline will not be permitted to play until the money owed is paid to the league. Games will be forfeited in the standings as well.
2.4 All players must be turning 16 years of age within the current hockey season. No current carded OMHA or OHA players can play in the league.
2.5 Each player is required to carry the proper health insurance and will not in any way hold the league, officials, agents or arena operator responsible for any injury. Each player is required to complete a registration and waiver form prior to playing his / her first game of the season.
2.6 All players must have a numbered jersey and team jerseys are to all be of the same colour combination. A player wearing a jersey of a colour that is too close in colour to the opposing team must change the jersey or not play for that game.
2.7 Teams will have until week 5 of the regular season to hand in a team roster with a minimum of 8 players to a maximum of 22 players. Team roster additions after week five require the consent of the league executive.
2.8 All player trades must have executive approval.
2.9 A minimum of 6 players to a maximum of 17 players is permitted to play in a game. Failure to dress 6 players or 5 players plus a goalie will result in an official loss. All statistics from the losing team from that game will be void with the exception of penalties.
2.10 All players must play a minimum of 6 games to be eligible to play in the playoffs. If an ineligible player plays in the playoffs, the team committing this infraction will forfeit the game.
2.11 Any team may substitute their goalie with a goalie from another team in the league when the regular goalie is absent. Should goalies from the league decline to play then a team may utilize a goalie that is not a regular goalie in the league.
2.12 Each team is responsible for the condition of their respective dressing room. Lost or stolen items are not the responsibility of the league.
GAMES
3.1 Games will consist of 3 periods and are broken down as follows:
- First period of 12 minutes
- Second period of 14 minutes
- Third period of 14 minutes
3.2 A pre-game warm-up will be allotted for 5 minutes.
3.3 All periods are running time with the exception of the last 1 minute of the third period if there is no more than a one-goal differential. If an injury results in the stoppage of play, the game clock will continue to run.
GAME RULES
4.1 Ontario Hockey Federation rules will apply, with the exception of those outlined below and will be administered by the on-ice officials.
4.2 Slap shots where the stick is raised above the knees are not permitted.
4.3 No centerline will be in play for the purpose of passing in the neutral zone (i.e. two-line pass is permitted).
4.4 Full hockey equipment is mandatory and must be worn for the duration of each game.
PENALTIES
5.1 Minor penalties will be for a duration of 3 minutes and a major penalty will be for a duration of 6 minutes.
5.2 Swearing outbursts or profanity directed at another player or on-ice official will result in a minor penalty. If a goalie is guilty of this infraction, a player on the ice at the time of the infraction will serve the penalty on behalf of the goalie.
5.3 Body contact will result in a minor penalty. Charging, boarding and intent to injure will result in a major penalty.
5.4 For any major penalties, OHF rules will determine the length of penalty and suspension. (https://www.ohf.on.ca/media/phnbtt20/2025-26-minor-hockey-minimum-suspension-list-final.pdf) A review of the incident will be conducted by the executive and may result in an additional suspension.
5.5 When a game misconduct penalty is issued in the third period of a game, the penalized player will be suspended for the next scheduled game.
5.6 A penalized team cannot make player substitutions during stoppages of play but may only substitute players during play (on the fly).
5.7 Any player receiving 3 penalties in one game will be ejected from that game. On the second offence, the player will receive a game misconduct plus a one game suspension. Additional offences of this nature will result in a review by the league executive.
5.8 Progressive penalty minutes – When a player reaches 21 minutes in penalties, he / she will be given a one game suspension. When a player reaches 35 minutes the player will receive an automatic indefinite suspension to be reviewed by the executive. A decision on the length of the suspension will be rendered within 14 days from the last game played. Penalty type will be reviewed plus the league executive will seek input from the suspended player for decision deliberations. The suspension ruling of the league executive will be issued in writing.
5.9 Fighting, Major penalties, Match penalties will result in the player receiving an automatic indefinite suspension with the minimum suspension based on the decision of the referee to award such a penalty. Such incidents will be reviewed by the league executive who will make a ruling on the length of the suspension beyond the minimum games. The league executive decision will be rendered within 14 days from the last game played. Each team involved in the game will require the team captain to submit a written “ECHL Incident Report” within five days from the incident. The player receiving the penalty and / or “victim” are encouraged to assist the league executive in their ruling by also submitting an “ECHL Incident Report” within five days from the incident. The two teams involved in incidents related to this section will not have voting privileges for the disciplinary decision. The executive will review all reports and make a final ruling. The ruling will be provided in writing.
The league executive when making a ruling will consider, the players previous major or match penalty history as well as review the incident to determine if any injury occurred from the infraction. The league executive will also review all submitted ECHL Incident Reports. Verbal reports will not be accepted for decision deliberations.
REGULAR SEASON
6.1 Regular season games will result in 2 points being awarded to the winning team and 0 points to the losing team. 1 point is awarded to each team when the games results in a tie.
6.2 Regular season standings are determined by the most points.
6.3 The regular season schedule will be devised to ensure that games are equally scheduled as possible in all time slots for all teams.
PLAYOFFS
7.1 Regular season standings will determine playoff seeding. If two or more teams remain tied at the end of the regular season, the following tie breaking mechanisms in progression will break down seeding for playoffs:
- Most wins.
- Record against the other tied team(s).
- Best plus / minus.
- Least penalty minutes.
- Coin toss.
7.2 Playoff strucutre will vary depending on the amount of regular season games, ice time available, and amount of teams.
- In an 8 team league, a Quarterfinal - Semifinal - Final structure will be played out, along with consolation semi finals and games for 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th on the final week.
7.3 Should a tie occur in the “A” or “B” Championship game, 5 minutes running time sudden death period will follow. If the game is still tied at the end of this overtime period, there will be a 5 player per team shoot-out. If there is a tie at the end of the shoot-out, then there will be a sudden death shoot-out with the same 5 players per team selected earlier. In the interest of time, both teams will shoot at the same time.
