Tournament rules

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Tournament will follow the Finnish Ice Hockey association rules for U13 junior games , with the following exceptions: 

Teams and jersey

Number of teams: 24

AAA: 8 teams

AA: 8 teams

A: 8 teams

Teams will need to have two different jerseys. The teams playing as a visiting guest will chance the jersey in case needed. Each team will have 5 games in the tournament. 

Team manager or the main contact person will register the team in the tournament office on arrival and also before leaving the tournament. All latest and necessary information for the event will be shared at the registration. 

Tournament location:

Mäntsälä Ice hockey center

Veteraanitie 4, 04600 Mäntsälä - Finland

Playing time and penalties

The playing time in the preliminary (qualification) round is 2 x 15 minutes of effective time. Maximum total playing time per game is 45 minutes. Break between the periods (intermission) is 1 min. In the play offs and final games total maximum play time is 50 minutes

Teams must ensure that they are ready early enough before the game start and ready to go on ice minimum 5 minutes before the official start time. The match will be start immediately after the ice maintenance break. In case the team is not present when the official game time starts, the team will be considered to have lost the game with the end result of 5-0 / 0-5. Due to the maximum playing time, it is not possible to use time-out ( except in the play offs / finals)

After the game, both teams will remain on the ice (blue line) for best player rewarding. After this teams will shake hands and exit the ice. 

Penalties used in the the tournament: 1 minute (minor penalty), 5 minutes and 10 minutes. If a player is given a 5+20 min penalty (ejection) the tournament jury will decide the players continuation in the tournament.

Tournament format

Win gives two (2) points, draw gives one (1) point and loss zero (0) points. The detailed schedule and standings will be available in the game results online pages.

Levels AAA, AA and A:

• Each level has two (2) preliminary (qualification) rounds of four (4) teams - qualification groups A and B. Each team plays one game against the other teams in the same group during the preliminary round, which means in total three (3) games.
• In play off round teams from both groups A and B qualified in the preliminary round to positions 1-2 will compete for the positions 1-4 and teams on positions 3-4 will compete for the positions 5-8.
• Teams from group A and B positions 1 and 2 will play against each other (1st against the 2nd from the other group). Winners will continue to finals for positions 1-2, loosing teams will compete in the finals for position 3-4.
• Teams from group A and B position 3 and 4 will play against each other (3rd against the 4th from the other group). Winners will compete for the final positions of 5-6 and loosing teams for the positions 7-8.
• Each team will have one (1) game in the playoff round and one (1) in the finals.
• Each team will have five (5) games in total in the tournament.

Team position in the qualification round will be defined based on: 

1. Points

2. Higher points in a game against each other 

3. Goal difference in a game against each other

4. Higher number of goals in a game against each other 

5. Highest goal difference in all games of the qualification group

6. Number of goals in the group qualification games

7. Penalties

8. Lottery

Penalty-Shot Shootout procedure

In case of tie at the conclusion of playing time, then the Penalty-Shot Shootout (PSS) procedure will apply. The following procedure will be utilized:

• Three (3) different shooters from each team will start the alternate shots. Team coach will nominate the players and inform them to the referee immediately after the game time has ended.
• If the game is still tied after three shots by each team, the PSS will continue with a tie-break shoot out by one player of each team, and a new player will need to be chosen for each new pair.
• The same player can be used for a new shot only after all players from the team has shot at least once.
• Shots will be taken at both ends of the ice.
• A coin toss will determine which team takes the first shot, with the winner of the toss having the choice whether his team will shoot first or second.
• The goaltenders will defend the same goal, as in the end of the official game time. The goaltenders from each team may be changed after each shot.
• The players of both teams will take the shots alternately until a decisive goal is scored.
• Only the decisive goal will count in the result of the game. It shall be credited to the team that scored the goal and charged against the team that was scored upon.
• The winning goal will be credited to the player who shots the winning goal.

Prizes

From each three levels ( AAA,AA,A) three best qualified teams will be awarded with tournament medals and a trophy.  The best player will be chosen and awareded from each team. The team management will inform the chosen player name to the tournament office before their last game. 

Tournament Jury and protests

All protests will be handled by the tournament jury, whose decision will be final. Any possible protest must be given in written in ten minutes after the game has ended. Protest fee is 200€ which will be reimbursed in case the protest is accepted. Jury consist of the tournament manager and two other named jury members. If needed, the jury will hear also the game referees. To be able to accept the protest, the jury must be unanimous. The jury doesn't need to explain their decisions.