Original Stars Hockey League

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The Original Stars Hockey League (OSHL) was an attempt to create a league of professional ice hockey teams playing four-on-four games during the 2004 National Hockey League lockout that followed the expiration of the league's collective bargaining agreement with the NHL Player's Association.

Slated to be made up of 78 NHL players, the league debuted on September 17, 2004 in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, divided into six teams representing the cities of the Original Six. In the inaugural game, Toronto defeated Detroit 16-13.

Shortly after its first two games, however, the OSHL cancelled several of what it called "preseason" games. On November 11, 2004, OSHL president Randy Gumbley announced that the league had only received commitments from 20 players, and the league soon folded.

[edit] Rules

Several rules changes were implemented to make up for the smaller rosters and to provide a more entertaining experience:

Each side is made up of four skaters and a goaltender.
Each period is 17 minutes long.
Line changes only can be made on the fly.
There is no centre ice line.
No-touch icing is in effect.
There is no icing if a player shooting the puck into the offensive zone if he is past his own blueline.
All minor penalties will be taken as penalty shots, with a defending player chasing.