Rules

All teams will play three games within their bracket consisting of two 25 minute stop-time periods. Only the winner of each bracket will advance to the playoff rounds on Sunday. All Playoff games will consist of one (1) thirty-minute stop-time period. If games are tied at the end of playoff rounds, a 5 minute sudden death period will take place. Teams will play in a 3 on 3 format. If nothing is resolved after 10 minutes, a shootout will take place. The shootout format will consist of the first five (5) players designated by each coach who will shoot until one team has a goal advantage. If it is still tied, the SAME five shooters will shoot again in same order. If still tied we would now be in Sudden Death shootout. In sudden death, if the first team scores, the second team will always get their last shot to try to tie the game. If the first team misses, and the second team scores, the game is over. If nothing is resolved after the second time around, then coaches must pick a 6th, 7th, etc. shooter to try and resolve the game. This number will go up to as many skaters as there are on the bench for a team. But, if a team has 15 skaters for example, and the other team has 18 skaters, after the 15th shooter, both teams would go back to their very first shooter. There is NO Sudden Death during the first three regular rounds of play.

All games will be played by USA Hockey Rules. These will be the Exceptions to the Rules for all of our Tournaments: Automatic Icing – No Hybrid. Teams are allowed to change on icings. Coincidental Minors- Teams play 5-5.  Individual Major Penalty-If a player has been removed from the game for a 5 minute Major Penalty, no player has to serve in the box. The team plays short a man, and when the five minutes are up, they go full strength. They just won’t have their man coming from the penalty box. All Minor Penalties have to be served.

For any player(s) involved in a fight and removed from the rest of the game a decision will be made by the Tournament Director, the Head of Officials, and discussion with both coaches, to determine if that player will be allowed to play in his next game. **The clock will continue to run during a fighting altercation and only allowed to be stopped within the last five minutes of a game due to referee’s discretion. **All teams are required to have two goaltenders dressed for all games. If a team only has one goaltender dressed the team is not penalized. However, if that goaltender is unable to continue to play due to injury or otherwise, the team is NOT allowed to borrow a goaltender from the other team, from in the stands, or dress another player not in goaltenders equipment. The game would become an IMMEDIATE FORFEIT and the score will remain as it stands. If one team allows the other team to use their spare goaltender, a game will be played, but the forfeit remains. **All players must wear a face mask. Junior Teams will be allowed to wear a Half-Shield if they do so in their League during the season. Any player without a Face Mask or a Half-Shield will be removed from the game.

How to Advance to Sunday’s Playoff Rounds: Only the Winners of each Bracket advance.

The winners of each bracket are determined in the following manner: 1. Best Record 2. Least Goals Against. For example, if two teams are tied at 2-1, the team that has the LEAST GOALS AGAINST advances. Even if you beat the team that is tied at 2-1 with you. Least Goals Against Counts First. 3. Plus/Minus Ratio- Goals For vs. Goals Against 4. Head on Competition 5. Flip a Coin