Tournament rules

General Rules and Guidelines

The tournament follows the U11 Leijonaliiga guidelines as well as the current competition and junior regulations of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, supplemented by the clarifications presented in this document.
A total of three (3) tournaments will be played during the event, each featuring eight (8) teams.
Official regulations: http://www.finhockey.fi/index.php/component/k2/item/137-kilpailusaannot

All players participating in any game must have a valid player license and insurance.

Player Eligibility and Team Line-ups

• Teams must submit their rosters to Gameresultsonline before the tournament begins.
• Teams may independently update their roster before the start of the tournament.
• Changes due to illness can be made after the tournament has started, but no later than 30 minutes before game time at the tournament office.
• All games are played on a full-size rink (5+1 vs. 5+1).
• As a rule, each player participates in one playing group only. Exceptions are allowed only in cases of illness or for goaltenders.
• If a playing group has more than 14 players, this must be reported to the organizer to ensure the correct number of medals.
• Eligible players are those born in 2015, with limited exceptions for younger or older players if they are part of the team’s regular roster.

Game Rink and Jerseys

• All games are played on a full-size rink.
• The home team wears dark jerseys, and the away team wears light jerseys.

Penalties

Penalties are enforced according to the Finnish Ice Hockey Association’s competition and junior rules.

• Duration of a minor penalty: 1 minute.

Game Time

• Each game consists of 2 x 15 minutes of active game time.
• Total scheduled game slot: 45 minutes.
• Intermission: 1 minute.
• Timeouts are not permitted.

Teams must be ready five (5) minutes before the scheduled start time, fully equipped near the rink.

If a team is not on the ice at the scheduled start time, the game begins with the delayed team trailing 0–5.

Referees

Games are officiated by HJT referees who have completed an official referee qualification.

Insurance and First Aid

• All players must have insurance covering possible injuries.
• The tournament organizers are not liable for injuries or possible thefts during the event.
• A trained first-aid person will be present throughout the tournament.
• Teams are expected to handle minor injuries themselves (e.g. plasters, cold packs).

Protests

• A protest must be made verbally to the referee and the opposing team immediately after the game, and in writing to the tournament office within 10 minutes of the game ending.
• The protest fee is €200, refunded if the protest is upheld.
• Protests are handled by a jury consisting of the tournament management, the team leaders of the game in question, and the referee.
• The jury does not provide reasons for its decision, and the decision is final.

Scoring and Statistics

• All games are recorded in real time in the Gameresultsonline.com system.
• No paper scoresheets are used.
• The confirmed roster must match the players on the ice.
• A goal scorer can only be recorded if their jersey number and name appear on the roster.
• All roster changes must be reported to the tournament office upon arrival or, in urgent illness cases, no later than 30 minutes before the game.

Tournament Format

All three tournaments (A, AA, AAA) follow the same competition structure.

• The preliminary round consists of two groups of four (4) playing groups.
• After the preliminary round:
  • Group winners and runners-up play cross-over games before medal games.
  • Third-place teams play for 5th–6th place.
  • Fourth-place teams play for 7th–8th place.
• Each playing group plays at least four (4) games.
• The top four teams in each tournament play five (5) games.

Awards

• The top three teams in each tournament receive trophies and medals (gold, silver, bronze).
• After the final game, players and staff must promptly gather on the ice for the award ceremony.
• After each game, teams exchange a fair-play pennant or puck, which must be done quickly due to the tight 45-minute schedule.

Points and Ranking

• Win: 2 points
• Tie: 1 point
• Loss: 0 points
• Preliminary round games may end in a tie.

For playoff and placement games:
If the game is tied after regular time, a shootout is held immediately.

Shootout procedure:

1. The away team (as listed in the schedule) shoots first.
2. Each team names three (3) shooters.
3. If still tied, teams continue with sudden death one pair at a time.
4. Every shooter must be a different skater until all skaters have shot once.
5. The game ends when one player scores and the opponent does not.

If teams are tied in points in the group stage, ranking is determined in this order:

1. Points
2. Goal difference (group games)
3. Goals scored (group games)
4. Points in head-to-head games
5. Goal difference in head-to-head games
6. Goals scored in head-to-head games
7. Lottery (drawing of lots)

Possible Changes

The tournament organizer reserves the right to adjust the schedule or game program if necessary.
Any changes will be communicated to all participating teams without delay.

Respect the Game

All participants (players and staff) commit to following the Finnish Ice Hockey Association’s “Respect the Game” principles:
https://www.finhockey.fi/index.php/vastuullisuus/kunnioita-pelia