Tournament Regulations
Each team will play a minimum of five games.
All preliminary round games will be two periods of twenty minutes of stop time.
Pre-game warm-ups will be three minutes with pucks.
Each team should be ready to play 10 minutes PRIOR to their scheduled start times without any advanced warning.
The warm up clock shall start 4 minutes before the start of the game or, in the case of game delay as soon as Zamboni doors close.
If a team is not ready at the start of warm ups they will forfeit their privileges to warm up.
If a team isn't ready for the start of the game, that team will be assessed a bench minor penalty.
There will be no discussion on coaches’ ejections from games.
No equipment penalty will be awarded. Teams/Players must follow rules of its/his/her Ice Hockey Federation's rules regarding the use of mouth guards and neck protectors.
Minor penalties will be 2 minutes and Major penalties will be 5 minutes.
In case of a regulation tie, we will have a shootout (best of 3 format). 3 players will be chosen by each team’s Coach at the end of regulation. Should the tie persist, we will continue 1 player at a time until the tie is broken. After the first 3 shots the teams swap order and can use any player as many times as they choose. Points are awarded as follows:
3 Points – Regulation win
2 Points - Shootout Win (SOW)
1 Point - Shootout Loss (SOL)
See below under “Playoff Tie Games” for rules in playoff games.
All eligible players must be entered on the game’s score sheet prior to the commencement of the game (maximum 22 players including 2 goaltenders).
“Touch-up” offsides are allowed.
Should an “act of god” happen (power failure, major injury …), after 45 minutes the game will be called and the score remains as is no matter how long the game was running at the time of the “act of god”.
Running time will be implemented if a game’s goal differential is 5 goals or more at the 10-minute mark of the 2nd period on. The game will return to “stop-time” if the goal differential returns to the 5 goal differential (ex. 5-1).
Each team is permitted the use of one, 30-second timeout per game.
Each team must be prepared to furnish proof of age for any of its players upon the organizer’s request. Failure to do so will mean the expulsion of the player from the tournament until such proof can be shown. Players will submit to identification checks conducted by tournament organizers prior to the beginning of competition. NO EXCEPTIONS.
No Protests will be accepted.
A ten minute delay will be permitted to dress a second goaltender in the event the regular goaltender is injured and the team has no dressed goaltender on the bench.
A player can only play for one team and in only one category during this tournament weekend, failure to do so will disqualify the said player. An exception can be made for a goaltender, but a unanimous agreement by all tournament head coaches in order to be an exception.
A player must participate in at least 2 (two) games during the round robin portion of the tournament to be eligible for the playoff round. Exceptions made for goaltenders.
Any player leaving the bench to engage in a fight on the ice is automatically disqualified from the tournament as per the discretion of the Tournament Director and Head Referee. Coach will be suspended for 1 game minimum for not controlling his players, which left the bench.
Attention: Checking is not allowed for Boys U12 and Girls of all age groups with the following exception: body contact shoulder to shoulder when skating same direction and cutting in-line against the boards and attempting to play the puck
Games are to be started with each team attacking towards their own bench-side of the ice (for example, the Home team’s goaltender would start the 1st period on the Away team’s side of the ice). The 2nd period should always be played with each team’s goaltender in their “bench-side” net.
Game procedure
Coaching staff get dressing room keys depending on the schedule at the Office.
Sign the game sheet before on-ice warm up.
Make sure to have the correct color of the game jerseys.
Make sure the dressing room is clean before you leave. In the case, the dressing room is not clean, the organizing committee has the right to disqualify the team from the tournament.
All statistics comments should be done within 1 hour after the end of the game at the Tournament Office by the coach or manager of the team.
Discipline
Coach should control his players at all times.
Any player who receives Major Match penalty checking from behind will be automatically suspended for 1 game minimum.
Any player who receives an Abuse of Officials penalty will be automatically suspended for 1 game minimum.
Players who physically attack the referee will be automatically suspended for the rest of the tournament.
No parents should be in the players area or bench, unless it is a medical emergency and help is needed.
Medical procedure
In case of injury, the team has the right to request the ambulance, if needed and if confirmed by the medical personnel at the arena. Please be aware, at the rink is only FIRST AID assistance, any special treatment is going to be provided in the hospitals or by staff from Ambulance.
Rules Interpretation
ICING: In all age groups, there will be HYBRID icing called. Changing on icing call is not allowed for the offending team.
DELAY OF GAME: to be called at any time, when a player shoots over the glass in his own defensive zone, unless it is the players bench. It includes the goalie.
HAND PASS AND HIGH STICKS: Face-Offs to be taken in closest dot without getting a territorial advantage. Hand pass is allowed in the defensive zone.
High stick in Offensive zone: face-off goes to Neutral Zone
Shoot Out procedure: Home team has the choice who starts first.
INTENTIONAL OFF-SIDE: intention to cause stoppage of play when offside - face-off will take place in the Offending team´s defending zone. Continue pressure - face-off will take place in the Neutral Zone.
PENALTIES: MINOR: 2 min. MAJOR: 5 min (attempt to injure player). MISCONDUCT: 10 min - mouthing, abusing official, discipline. In case of SECOND MISCONDUCT penalty IN THE SAME GAME, player automatically gets GAME MISCONDUCT penalty
GAME MISCONDUCT: 5+20 min - In case of SECOND GAME MISCONDUCT penalty during the Tournament, player automatically gets MATCH penalty
MATCH: 5+20 min - Should be awarded an automatic further suspension, which means that they shall be suspended for the next game as a minimum, and the case should be dealt with by the proper authority.
The committee reserves itself the final word on rule interpretation.
Tie Breakers
The tied teams will go through each tie breaker until ONE team is determined the winner; Example: if no team is determined ahead of all other teams after Tie Breaker #1, then it will move on to Tie Breaker #2, etc
If 2 teams are tied in points, the following order applies to determine the ranking of teams:
1. Head-to-Head
2. Most games won (includes shootout wins)
3. Best differential Formula
4. Least goals against
5. Most goals for
6. Least Penalty minutes during the tournament
7. Flip of a coin
In the case where 3 or more teams are tied in points, the following order applies to determine the ranking of teams:
1. Most games won (includes shootout wins)
2. Best differential Formula
3. Least goals against
4. Most goals for
5. Least Penalty minutes during the tournament
6. Flip of a coin
Once a winner of a 3+ way tie is determined, the remaining tied teams will begin the tie breaking process again to determine the next winner. Example: if 4 teams (Team A,B,C & D) are tied and Team B is determined the winner, then Teams A, C and D would then start the 3+ way tiebreaker over again. Once the tie-breaker is down to the final 2 teams, you revert back to the “2-team tiebreaker” criteria above.
Playoff Tie Games
If there is a tie game at the end of regulation time during the tournament playoffs, the following overtime rules will apply.
1. Teams will play 3 v 3 + Goaltender in One, Five minute sudden-death period.
3. Shoot-out. In case of a regulation tie, we will have a shootout (best of 3 format). 3 players will be chosen by each team’s Coach at the end of regulation. Should the tie persist, we will continue 1 player at a time until the tie is broken. After the first 3 shots the teams swap order and can use any player as many times as they choose.
Please read carefully
Respect the referees at all times, should you have a situation you would like to discuss concerning a particular individual, we have appointed a referee in chief who is available to you, he does not have the power to change a referees decision. However, we have advised our refereeing staff to treat coaches with respect and they will expect the same in return. They will not exercise any patience when being sworn, screamed or gestured at.
The committee reserves itself the final word on rule interpretation.
Sergei Zak
World Hockey Group – LGS Europe AB
Email: szak@worldhockeygroup.com