2025 Tournaments: Age determination is 12/31/2024.  Girls can play one year down.

Time of Match and timeouts. (Clarification). A game shall consist of two 15 minute running time periods. If the score is within two goals, or tied, stop time shall be played during the last two minutes of play.

A one-minute rest period shall be permitted between halves, after which the teams shall change ends. One time out shall be permitted for all games including Round Robin Games. Each team shall be entitled to take one timeout of one-minute duration during the playoffs.

ECHO uses on time starts. However, if the two teams are ready to play, a game may start early if both coaches agree to start early.

Overtime: In Round Robin Games: 3 v 3 minute OT. If the score is still tied, then the game ends in a tie. Each team is awarded 1 point. If a team scores during OT, the winning team gets 2 points and the OT losing team is given 1 point.

Overtime in playoffs:  3 v 3 for 3 minutes for quarterfinal and semi final games. If the score is still tied then a 3 player shootout follows.

Championship Game OT:  5 Minute 4 v 4, 1st goal wins.  If noone scores during the 4 v 4, then there is a 5 Minute 3 v 3, 1st goal wins.  If noone has scored after the 2 OT periods, then there is a 3 person shootout.

ECHO institutes the 4 penalty  rule.

4 penalties in one game is a game expulsion for that game only.

 Tie Breakers for seeding purposes:

Head To Head, if there is a two team tie for points.

Goal Differential, if there is more than a two way tie for points.

Goals Against.

Coin Flip

Forfeited games will be counted as a 4-0 win. 

Stop time in the last minute of the first period.

Roster Rule Changes for 2025.  They will be in effect starting January 1, 2025.

Rosters will be Required to be handed in before a team's 2nd game.

Club Tier 2 Teams cannot roster any player from another division, not even Club Tier 1.

Club Tier 1 Teams can roster 1 Bronze rostered player if the tournament is split into 2 Tiers from the start.  If a Club Tier 1 Player(s) is asked to play in Bronze, that player counts as the player playing down.   Bronze teams can have up to 2 players from a roster above them.  Bronze players who play up in Senior A/B)or Silver players if thgere is a separate Silver Division. counts as players playing down.  

  No Gold players from a Senior A/B team can play in Bronze.  ECHO has made a list of Legitimate Gold players who cannot play.  Check with Bob Boucher if not sure who is considered a Gold or Silver player.  

Players must play atleast 2 Round Robin Games in order to play in playoffs.  There is an Injury Rule Exception.  The IUnjury Rule means you can have an injured player replaced and the replacement player can only play in 1 game in order to play in playoffs, only if the roster is less than 6 healthy players.  The injured player can only come back and play in playoffs if he/she has played in atleast 2 RR games.  If the injured player comes back and meets the eligibilty requirements, the replacement player cannot play in playoffs.  

Adult Finals, April 5-6 at the SGAA.  Club Tier 1 and 2 will not be able to use any players rostered in a division above them. Bronze teams can have 1 player on a roster above them.   If there is still Senior A/B(not Silver and Gold Separate), Legitimate Gold players cannot play in Bronze.  Check with Bob Boucher if you are unsure.  

These changes will be enforced in ECHO's major market-Southeast.  In other markets(TX, NJ, etc) the rule changes will be modified.